Nvidia Corporation, the prominent chipmaker and $4 trillion company, announced on January 23 (Friday) through a filing with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (US SEC) that director Persis Drell is stepping down from its board. Her resignation is reportedly to "pursue a new professional opportunity," according to a Bloomberg report. Drell departs with a substantial holding of approximately 143,000 Nvidia shares, valued at around $26 million based on the latest holdings report. This represents an extraordinary 22,000% increase in value since she initially joined the board over a decade ago, as highlighted by a CNBC report.

The SEC filing did not specify the nature of Drell's new professional endeavor but clearly stated that her resignation was not due to any disagreement with the company. The filing explicitly mentioned that she is not leaving because of "any disagreement with the company on any matter relating to the company’s operations, policies or practices." Spokespeople for Nvidia, led by CEO Jensen Huang, did not immediately comment on the matter when queried.

As an influential member of Nvidia's board, Persis Drell also served on the Santa Clara, California-based chipmaker’s compensation committee, having joined the board in 2015. CNBC, citing Nvidia's annual report, further detailed her financial stake and compensation. Besides the 143,000 Nvidia shares valued at $26 million upon her departure, her salary for the preceding year on the board amounted to $344,000, which included $259,000 in stock awards. It was also noted that Drell had sold approximately 40,000 of her Nvidia shares in 2025, prior to her resignation announcement.

The remarkable appreciation of Drell's shares underscores Nvidia's meteoric rise. Since the end of 2015, Nvidia's stock price has surged by an astounding 22,000%, propelling the company to become one of the world's most valuable entities. Drell's departure marks only the second resignation from Nvidia's board, following astronaut Ellen Ochoa's exit in June. With Drell's resignation, the board now comprises 10 directors, including CEO Jensen Huang.

Persis Drell boasts a distinguished academic and professional career. According to the Bloomberg report, she holds positions as a professor of physics, materials science, and engineering at California's renowned Stanford University. She previously served as the provost for the educational institution, a role she held for eight years, from 2017 to 2023. Prior to that, Drell was the dean of Stanford University's engineering school for four years, from 2014 to 2017. Her extensive tenure at Stanford began in 2002. Furthermore, she directed Stanford’s particle accelerator, the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC), for six years, from 2007 to 2012. Nvidia's 2025 proxy filing indicates she is 69 years old.