Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang Retained Crisis PR Firm Prior to Affair and Export Inquiry Disclosures

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang began working with the crisis communications firm Heller at least a year before publicly acknowledging an extramarital affair with a woman suspected by US intelligence of being a Chinese spy. The firm, founded by Risa Heller, has managed Huang’s behind-the-scenes communications since at least October 2025, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

Firm Reputation and Early Mandate

Risa Heller has built a reputation as a fixer for powerful figures facing personal controversies and sexual misconduct allegations, as noted in a 2023 New York Magazine profile. Her past clients and individuals who have sought her advice include former congressman Anthony Weiner, chef Mario Batali, and writer Jeffrey Toobin. The firm also handles general corporate communications and issues unrelated to personal controversies for its clients.

People familiar with the arrangement initially believed Heller’s consultants were hired for matters concerning Huang’s personal life, including family philanthropic endeavors. The firm frequently communicated with Huang and his daughter Madison, a product marketing director at Nvidia who has become an increasingly prominent figure within the company. It remains unclear whether Heller’s early work with the family involved Huang’s affair.

Business Dealings and Public Scrutiny

In 2024, Huang began appearing publicly with a woman using the name Alice Huang, a former executive at Megaspeed, a Singapore-based chip buyer. Megaspeed was created when it split from a Chinese gaming and cloud computing firm in 2023, a few months after the US government began restricting advanced semiconductor exports to China, including chips developed by Nvidia. A Megaspeed subsidiary subsequently became a major buyer of Nvidia chips.

In early October 2025, Jensen Huang’s business dealings with Megaspeed and his connection to Alice became public in a lengthy New York Times report. The report alleged that the US Commerce Department was investigating whether the company was helping Chinese firms evade American export controls through its subsidiaries.

The coverage caused tensions to rise within Nvidia’s top ranks, and Jensen was rankled by the story, according to sources. By the end of that month, Nvidia’s internal communications teams had been instructed to include Heller’s firm on any press inquiries about Huang, whether personal or professional.

Subsequent Admissions and Board Investigation

US intelligence officials have determined that Alice, who has no known relation to Jensen Huang, is a spy working for the Chinese government. Nvidia initially stated that Jensen’s interactions with Alice were part of routine business with clients. However, Huang acknowledged on Sunday that his relationship with her was romantic in nature, writing in an email to Nvidia staff that he was unfaithful to his wife, that his actions hurt his family, and that he was deeply sorry.

Nvidia’s board of directors announced it was opening an independent investigation into Jensen’s activities, stating it had no reason to believe that national security or confidential company information was compromised.

Summary

It remains unconfirmed whether Heller’s initial engagement in October 2025 involved the export controls investigation, the personal affair, or unrelated corporate matters.