Telegram founder @durov has weighed in on the departure of @nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, arguing that Huang's central error was having a board of directors at all. He advised founders to avoid boards where possible, a stance that implies keeping tight control of the company they build.

What Durov Said

In a post on X, Durov wrote that Huang "made a rookie mistake" by having a board, according to a Cryptopolitan report. He compared the situation to his own experience in 2014, when he was pushed out of the Russian social network VK, which he founded. In the post, Durov said his board removed him for refusing to cooperate with spies, while Huang's board removed him for agreeing to one. His conclusion, as reported by Inshorts, was that "the board gets you either way," and his advice to founders was to "be the board" instead of having one.

The remark is Durov's own interpretation. Nvidia's official announcement described Huang's departure as a resignation, as noted by Startuppedia.

Background on Huang's Exit

According to Nvidia's Form 8-K filing, dated November 12, 2026, Huang resigned as president, chief executive officer and a member of the board, effective immediately. Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress was appointed interim CEO, and Harvey C. Jones was named the board's first-ever chair. The board said it would begin a search for a permanent CEO and consider internal and external candidates.

CNBC reported that a person familiar with the matter said the board decided to oust Huang, and that Huang was one of 11 board members before his exit. Deadline reported that the transition followed a scandal around Huang's extramarital affair with a former Chinese state TV reporter turned data center executive, and noted that The New York Times had reported U.S. intelligence officials made the White House aware of the relationship. Huang and President Donald Trump both denied knowing she had been collecting intelligence for Beijing, Deadline reported.

Huang co-founded Nvidia in 1993 and led it for 33 years, building it into a company CNBC described as worth $4 trillion.

Why It Matters for Founders

Durov's comments revive a long-running debate over founder control versus board oversight. Boards can remove chief executives, including the founders who started the company, and Huang's case is a rare example at a company of Nvidia's size. Durov, who runs Telegram, has long positioned himself as a founder who keeps control of his business. His comments are opinion and should be read as such, since governance experts generally view boards as a check on management and a duty to shareholders.

Sources

Nvidia Form 8-K, CEO transition announcement (SEC)
CNBC, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang resigns: live updates
Cryptopolitan, Durov comments on Huang's Nvidia exit