SMU Cox MBA Alum Becomes Interim Nvidia CEO
Colette Kress, SMU Cox ’96 alumna, was named interim CEO, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Nvidia on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
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Anna Martinez
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DALLAS (SMU), Nov. 12, 2026 — Colette Kress, SMU Cox ’96 alumna, was named interim CEO, executive vice president and chief financial officer of Nvidia on Thursday, Nov. 12, 2026. The move comes after the resignation of Jensen Huang as President, Chief Executive Officer and board member of Nvidia, following board investigations into Huang.
Kress first joined Nvidia in September 2013, after serving nearly 25 years in various finance roles at major technology companies. The SMU alumna completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Arizona and her graduate degree at SMU Cox.
"SMU alumna Colette Kress earned her Professional MBA from the SMU Cox School of Business in 1996,” Todd Milbourn, dean of the SMU Cox School of Business. “As a full-time professional in this part-time program, she balanced work demands alongside a rigorous academic load. Doing so successfully requires focus, determination and an ability to manage complex priorities. Those skills created a solid foundation upon which she was able to build throughout her tenure as Nvidia’s CFO and Executive Vice President, and they will serve her well as she transitions into her new role as interim CEO."
Kress previously held positions at Microsoft, Cisco and Texas Instruments.
About SMU Cox
The Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University (SMU Cox) is committed to influencing the way the world conducts business via prolific research that provokes innovation, change and global thought leadership. SMU Cox offers a full range of business education programs, including B.B.A., Full-Time MBA, Working Professional MBA (part-time, in-person and online) and Master of Science degree programs, as well as graduate certificate programs and Executive Education tailored for C-suite leaders and management professionals. The Cox School maintains an active global alumni network, is accredited by the AACSB and is consistently ranked among the world’s leading business schools.
