According to Wired, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang retained Heller Inc., a crisis communications firm, at least a year before he publicly acknowledged an extramarital affair with a woman later suspected of ties to Chinese intelligence activities.
Who is the PR firm and what is its track record?
Heller Inc. is led by Risa Heller, who has advised high-profile men through personal scandals and accusations of sexual misconduct, a 2023 New York Magazine profile reported. The profile named past clients including former Congressman Anthony Weiner, celebrity chef Mario Batali, and former New Yorker writer Jeffrey Toobin.
Nvidia’s internal communications and timing
Wired also reported that Nvidia’s internal communications team was instructed to copy Heller Inc. on press inquiries about Jensen Huang. That directive allegedly came shortly after an October 2025 New York Times article questioned whether Nvidia was assisting Chinese firms in evading U.S. chip export restrictions.
The New York Times reporting and Megaspeed
The New York Times article said Megaspeed, then a little-known Singapore-based data-center company with connections to China, had acquired nearly $2 billion worth of Nvidia chips. The piece described Megaspeed CEO Alice Huang standing beside Jensen Huang at a Taipei gathering of Nvidia customers; Alice Huang’s name was later connected to the CEO’s personal relationship.
Company statements and investigation
Heller and Nvidia did not immediately respond to requests for comment. On Sunday Nvidia published a statement from Jensen Huang acknowledging an affair with a former Megaspeed executive, though he did not identify Alice Huang by name. Separately, Nvidia’s board announced an independent investigation, citing reports that Huang “has been the target of a foreign intelligence effort.”
Why this matters
The developments touch on corporate transparency, potential intersections between personal relationships and national security, and the role of crisis communications before sensitive information becomes public. Further details and the outcome of the independent investigation will determine the broader implications for Nvidia, its stakeholders, and policymakers.
