The CEO of a California wealth management firm criticized Trump for choosing Cook to replace Huang Renxun

Gerber Kawasaki CEO Ross Gerber stated during an interview on the BBC's Today program on Friday that he disagrees with U.S. President Trump's suggestion that Apple Chairman and former CEO Tim Cook should take over as CEO of Nvidia. Gerber said that Cook is "someone who has actually missed the opportunity for Apple in artificial intelligence," and added, "I'm not even sure he knows what artificial intelligence is, but that's not someone I want leading Nvidia." Gerber Kawasaki has invested in Nvidia for over 15 years.

Nvidia co-founder Jensen Huang, 63, resigned from the CEO position of the approximately $4 trillion chip company on Thursday. Reports indicate that Huang has had at least three extramarital affairs, one of whom is believed by U.S. intelligence agencies to be a Chinese spy. Nvidia's stock price fell by about 13% in early trading on Thursday, but rebounded after the company announced his departure and that Chief Financial Officer Colette Kress would serve as interim CEO. Trump posted on Truth Social that there is "only one person" to succeed Huang, naming Tim Cook and writing, "A legend replaces a legend."

Gerber stated that Nvidia would be better off selecting someone from within who has long worked with the management team, believing that Colette Kress as interim CEO is a suitable choice, and that the board should also consider other leaders within the company, as he prefers internal promotions. He described Huang as his business idol and expressed that seeing him leave in this manner is "frustrating and disappointing," believing that Huang fell into the myth of the "superstar CEO." Gerber also mentioned that Nvidia's business looks fundamentally the same without Huang, just lacking a spokesperson and salesperson for the media and customers, and he does not believe anyone will cancel their Nvidia chip orders, stating that Kress is a suitable candidate for the transition period.