Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang reportedly hired a public relations firm known for handling high-profile personal scandals in 2025, a year before publicly admitting to an extramarital affair.
According to Wired, Heller Inc., founded by Risa Heller, has previously represented prominent figures facing personal scandals and allegations of sexual misconduct.
The firm has worked with former US congressman Anthony Weiner and former New Yorker writer Jeffrey Toobin.
TechCrunch, citing Wired, reported that Nvidia instructed its communications team to copy Heller Inc. on media enquiries involving Huang shortly after a New York Times report was published in October 2025.
The report examined whether Nvidia was helping Chinese companies circumvent US restrictions on chip exports. It also investigated Singapore-based data centre operator Megaspeed, which reportedly has links to China and had purchased almost US$2 billion (S$2.6 billion) worth of Nvidia chips.
Megaspeed’s chief executive, Alice Huang, was also identified in the report as the woman later linked to Jensen Huang in reports about his extramarital affair.
However, the reason Jensen Huang initially engaged Heller Inc. remains unclear.
Wired reported that the public relations consultants were initially believed to have been brought in to manage matters involving Huang’s personal life and his family’s philanthropic activities.
The firm reportedly maintained frequent communication with Huang and his daughter, Madison, a product marketing director at Nvidia whose prominence within the company is growing.
On Nov 8, Nvidia released a statement containing an email Huang had sent to employees, in which he admitted to being unfaithful to his wife.
“I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did,” he wrote.
Huang apologised to his family, colleagues and shareholders, acknowledging that he had fallen short of his responsibilities.
He also pledged to cooperate with an independent investigation launched by Nvidia’s board following reports that he had been targeted by a foreign intelligence operation.
In a separate statement issued on the same day, Nvidia’s board confirmed that it had established a committee of independent directors, supported by external legal counsel, to oversee the investigation.
The board said it had no reason to believe that national security or Nvidia’s confidential information had been compromised, but would examine all available information.
It also expressed confidence in Huang and the company’s leadership team, adding that further updates would be provided where appropriate.
