Nvidia Director Persis Drell Resigns from Board, Exits with 1.43 Lakh Shares After 22,000% Stock Surge
Nvidia Corporation, the world’s most valuable company, has announced the resignation of board director Persis Drell, who is stepping down to pursue a new professional opportunity.
In a regulatory filing dated January 23, the Santa Clara, California–based chipmaker informed the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that Drell’s departure is not related to any disagreement with the company’s operations, policies, or practices. The disclosure, first reported by Bloomberg, clarified that the resignation was amicable.
Nvidia, led by CEO Jensen Huang, did not immediately respond to media queries regarding Drell’s next professional move.
Persis Drell’s Nvidia Shareholding and Compensation
According to a report by CNBC, Drell is leaving the board with approximately 1.43 lakh Nvidia shares, currently valued at around $26 million, based on the company’s latest filings. This represents an estimated 22,000% increase in share value since she joined Nvidia’s board in 2015.
Nvidia’s annual report shows that Drell earned $3,44,000 in board compensation last year, including $2,59,000 in stock awards. The report also noted that she sold roughly 40,000 Nvidia shares in 2025.
Nvidia’s stock has seen a historic rally over the past decade, driven largely by its dominance in artificial intelligence and data center chips, helping the company reach a market valuation of nearly $4 trillion.
Board Changes at Nvidia
Drell served on Nvidia’s compensation committee during her tenure. Her exit marks only the second board departure at Nvidia in recent months, following the resignation of astronaut Ellen Ochoa in June. Nvidia’s board now consists of 10 directors, including CEO Jensen Huang.
Who Is Persis Drell?
Persis Drell is a distinguished academic and administrator at Stanford University. She has been a professor of physics, materials science, and engineering at Stanford since 2002 and previously served as the university’s provost from 2017 to 2023.
Drell was also dean of Stanford’s engineering school between 2014 and 2017 and earlier led the SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory (formerly Stanford Linear Accelerator Center) from 2007 to 2012. According to Nvidia’s 2025 proxy filing, she is 69 years old.
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