Archive · 5 Sep 2026
Adobe Names Anil Chakravarthy Next CEO, Narayen Executive Chair
Adobe has chosen Anil Chakravarthy to become its next chief executive.
He will start the job on December 1, 2026.
Shantanu Narayen, who has led Adobe for 18 years, will become executive chair.
An executive chair helps guide the company and its board.
Under Narayen, Adobe moved from selling software licenses to offering cloud subscriptions.
The company’s revenue grew from about $3 billion to more than $25 billion during his leadership.
Chakravarthy joined Adobe in 2020 and has worked across customer experience and sales.
He has also supported Adobe’s artificial-intelligence products and said he wants to help lead the company into an era of agentic software.
Adobe appointed insider Anil Chakravarthy as president and chief executive officer, effective December 1, 2026.
Chakravarthy will also join Adobe’s Board of Directors.
Current CEO Shantanu Narayen will become executive chair after 18 years leading the company.
Narayen oversaw Adobe’s transition from desktop software licenses to recurring cloud subscriptions, with revenue rising from about $3 billion to more than $25 billion.
Chakravarthy joined Adobe in 2020 and has led customer experience, sales, support, field operations, and AI-related initiatives.
- Who
- Adobe appointed Anil Chakravarthy as its next president and chief executive officer; Shantanu Narayen will become executive chair.
- What
- Adobe announced a leadership transition in which Chakravarthy will succeed Narayen as CEO and join the company’s board.
- When
- Chakravarthy’s appointment takes effect December 1, 2026, after Narayen’s 18-year tenure as CEO.
- Where
- The announcement concerns Adobe and its worldwide operations; no specific announcement location was stated.
- Why
- The transition is intended to guide Adobe’s growth and leadership in AI-driven and agentic software for creativity, productivity, and customer experience.
- Incoming CEO
- Anil Chakravarthy
- Appointment date
- December 1, 2026
- Outgoing CEO
- Shantanu Narayen
- Narayen’s next role
- Executive Chair
- Narayen’s tenure
- Nearly 18 years as Adobe CEO
- Adobe revenue growth
- Approximately $3 billion to more than $25 billion during Narayen’s leadership
- Chakravarthy joined Adobe
- January 2020