Adobe names Anil Chakravarthy next President and CEO, Shantanu Narayen to become Executive Chair

NEW DELHI: Adobe announced that Indian-origin executive Anil Chakravarthy will take over as the company’s next president and chief executive officer (CEO), along with joining its board of directors, effective December 1, 2026.

According to Adobe, current CEO Shantanu Narayen will transition to the role of executive chair, where he will work alongside Chakravarthy to steer the company through its transition and broader operational shift.

Chakravarthy currently heads Adobe’s Customer Experience Orchestration unit alongside its worldwide field operations. His appointment followed an evaluation conducted by a special board committee.

Frank Calderoni, lead independent director at Adobe who oversaw the search, stated that the board reached an aligned conclusion regarding Chakravarthy’s candidacy following a comprehensive review. “The Board has unanimously determined that Anil is the right leader for Adobe’s next chapter of growth,” Calderoni stated.

My best wishes to Anil Chakravarthy on being appointed as the next President and CEO of Adobe.

It is encouraging to see an Indian-origin technology leader taking on such an important global leadership role.

I wish him every success as he leads @Adobe into its next phase,…

— Suresh Prabhu (@sureshpprabhu) September 4, 2026

“Over the last six and a half years, he has transformed and expanded Adobe’s Customer Experience Orchestration business and worldwide field operations through innovation-led growth, developing and retaining talent and carrying forward Adobe’s culture and values. We conducted a rigorous selection process resulting in the appointment of an outstanding CEO,” Calderoni said.

Chakravarthy entered Adobe in January 2020 as executive vice president and general manager for the Digital Experience unit. Later that year, his scope broadened to encompass global field operations across creative and productivity applications, culminating in his promotion to president of the division in December 2021.

Narayen noted that Chakravarthy’s operational background and familiarity with the software portfolio made him well suited to head the organization during its technological pivot.

“Adobe’s opportunity ahead is limitless with our track record in creating new market categories and world-class products. Anil is an experienced transformational leader who leads with values, integrity and a deep knowledge of our business. He has a proven record of building and delivering category-defining products that serve our broad range of customers,” Narayen said.

“I could not be more confident that Anil is the right person to lead Adobe’s growth in an AI-driven era and look forward to working closely with him in my new role as executive chair,” he added.

During his tenure, Chakravarthy oversaw the expansion of enterprise customer systems, including the introduction of GenStudio, CX Enterprise, Brand Visibility, and the CX Enterprise Coworker platform. He also directed the purchases and operational onboarding of Workfront and Semrush.

“I am deeply honored to have been chosen to lead Adobe during this pivotal moment. I’m energized by the opportunity to fuel growth and drive Adobe’s leadership in the next era of agentic software for creativity, productivity and customer experience,” Chakravarthy stated.

“Adobe has a history of building the future — not just through our technology, but through our people and our commitment to customers. Thanks to Shantanu’s exceptional leadership in transforming Adobe’s business model over the decades, we are well positioned to achieve Adobe’s next chapter of growth,” he added.

“I want to thank the Board for the confidence they’ve placed in me. I look forward to working closely with our employees, Shantanu and the Board of Directors to continue serving our customers and transforming Adobe in the era of AI,” Chakravarthy said.

Before his arrival at Adobe, Chakravarthy spent four years as CEO of Informatica, having joined that company in 2013. His earlier professional background included management assignments at Symantec, VeriSign, and McKinsey & Company. He holds a bachelor’s degree in computer science and engineering from the Institute of Technology, Varanasi, along with master’s and doctoral degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. (ANI)