Meet Aarti Shah, Indian-Origin Nvidia Director Weighing Huang’s Fate
Aarti Shah, a former Eli Lilly executive who has sat on Nvidia's board since 2020, will help decide whether Jensen Huang stays as chief executive. The board is reportedly preparing talks, including the option of an interim CEO, at a company valued near $4.5 trillion.
Aarti Shah, a former Eli Lilly executive of Indian origin who has served on Nvidia's board since 2020, is among the directors who will weigh whether Jensen Huang remains chief executive, according to reports published on November 12, 2026.
Nvidia is valued at approximately $4.5 trillion. Its board now faces a leadership question tied closely to the man who built the company.
Why the board is meeting
Reports say Huang had two extramarital affairs. US officials are also reportedly examining whether one of the women had links to Chinese intelligence.
Nvidia has said Huang acknowledged being unfaithful to his wife and apologized to his family and employees. The board is preparing to discuss his future, according to reports. Directors are also reportedly considering an interim CEO while an external recruitment firm helps search for a permanent successor.
Who Aarti Shah is
Shah studied statistics and mathematics in India, earning bachelor's and master's degrees, before moving to the US. She later completed a PhD in applied statistics at the University of California, Riverside.
She spent 27 years at drugmaker Eli Lilly. Her roles ran across research, statistics, technology and business management, including senior statistician, research scientist and vice president for biometrics. She also served as global brand development leader in the company's bio-medicines unit.
By the time she left in 2021, Shah was senior vice president and chief information and digital officer.
Other boards and roles
Shah joined the board of Swiss pharmaceutical company Sandoz Group AG in 2023. She sits on its science, innovation and development committee and its human capital and ESG committee.
She has been a trustee of financial services company Northwestern Mutual since 2020, serving on its audit and distribution and technology committees. She also sits on the boards of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and its fundraising arm, American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities.
Shah is secretary and a trustee of Shrimad Rajchandra Mission Dharampur USA. Earlier, she completed a nine-year term on the Indianapolis Public Library Foundation's board and spent four years with the Centre for Interfaith Cooperation.
A hard succession
Her experience in technology, data and business management could matter as directors weigh their options. Replacing Huang would still be a big challenge, given how closely Nvidia's growth has been tied to his leadership.
Huang co-founded Nvidia more than three decades ago. He helped turn it from a graphics chipmaker serving largely the gaming industry into a major player in artificial intelligence.
