News from IT on November 14th: Recently, a petition campaign titled "Thirty-three years deserve an answer" has spread online, calling for NVIDIA's board of directors to reinstate Jensen Huang in his CEO position. As of the time of this post from IT, the campaign has collected over 56,000 signatures.

The website shows that the organizers and signatories of this event are concerned that Jensen Huang may be forced to resign without due process, and without even a few days to defend himself. This is precisely why a clarification from NVIDIA's board of directors is being requested.

The original text of the open letter attached to the IT home is as follows:

To the members of the board of directors of NVIDIA: We are current and former employees, partners, shareholders, and supporters of NVIDIA. With gratitude towards Jensen Huang, we write this letter to make a clear request to the board of directors: while conducting an independent investigation to verify the facts, please allow Jensen to return to his position, unless and until you can provide convincing evidence that his departure is in the best interests of NVIDIA.

For thirty-three years, Jensen has devoted himself wholeheartedly to the construction of NVIDIA. He bet on ideas that most industries did not favor, persevered for many years when those bets seemed foolish, and stayed long enough to witness firsthand how they changed the way the world computes. Many of us joined because of him. Many of us stayed because of the way he approached his work: he viewed it as something worth accomplishing together, something worth investing in at all times. This company is the fruit of his lifelong efforts. It deserves more than just gratitude in retrospect; now, it deserves a fair treatment.

As far as we know, an external investigation has been announced, but it has not yet concluded. We are concerned that Jensen was removed from her position without being afforded substantial due process guarantees. We are unable to access the internal deliberations of the board of directors. We have not seen any evidence that would substantiate the claim that the woman at the center of this controversy is a spy. Suspicion or associations alone are not sufficient grounds to terminate the leadership tenure of Jensen. The investigation must establish the facts, rather than merely seeking justifications for a result that has already been imposed.

We require the board of directors to take three actions:

• Reinstate Jensen in his position as CEO. During the period when an independent investigation determines the facts, allow him to return to his role. If the board of directors believes that he must continue to be absent from his position, please provide a specific and evidence-backed explanation as to why this is in the best interests of NVIDIA.
• Ensure independent investigations and fair opportunities for defense. Make public the scope, independence, and anticipated timeline of the investigation, and provide Jensen with a substantial opportunity to respond before a final decision is made.
• Provide a public explanation in a timely manner. Clearly state what concerns exist, what evidence supports these concerns, and how the interests of employees and shareholders will be balanced. Respect reasonable confidentiality requirements, but do not use this as an excuse to refuse any explanations.

Thirty-three years of leadership experience does not exempt anyone from accountability. However, accountability requires evidence, a fair opportunity for defense, and well-founded decisions. Jensen deserves the guarantees of due process, rather than being subjected to a public trial by the masses.

Thank you, Jensen. We stand firmly with you ( Stand with Jensen ).

IT Home noticed that this petition was signed by current employees, former employees, shareholders, and partners, with industry giants such as Tesla's CEO Elon Musk also joining in. Earlier today, Musk responded to a Twitter post about "about 1600 NVIDIA employees calling for Jensen Huang's return," stating, "A petition requesting Jensen Huang's reinstatement is underway, and I will also sign it."

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Elon Musk supports Jensen Huang: Will sign a petition to support his return to the NVIDIA CEO position