Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen to step down after 18 years

Shantanu Narayen has decided to step down as the CEO of Adobe after 18 years in the role, marking the end of one of the longest tenures by an Indian-origin leader at a global technology firm.

Narayen will hold the position until his successor is appointed, to ensure a smooth transition, Adobe said in a statement on Thursday. He will continue as the chairman of the board.

Adobe said the board has started the process of identifying the next CEO and will consider both internal and external candidates. "Leading Adobe has been the privilege of a lifetime," Narayen said.


He became the CEO in December 2007 and is credited with transforming the US company's business model. Under his leadership, it shifted from selling packaged software to a subscription model through its Creative Cloud platform, which includes products like Photoshop, Illustrator and Premiere.

The shift helped Adobe build steady subscription revenue and grow its user base. Today, the company generates over $25 billion in annual revenue and remains a leading player in creative software and digital experience tools.

Adobe said Narayen played a key role in driving the company's long-term growth.

Born in Hyderabad, Narayen studied electronics engineering at Osmania University before moving to the US for further education. He earned a master's degree in computer science from Bowling Green State University and an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley. Before joining Adobe in 1998, Narayen worked at Apple and co-founded a photo-sharing startup called Pictra. At Adobe, he advanced through various senior roles, including CTOr and president, before becoming the CEO.

Satya Nadella, chairman of Microsoft, wrote on X that Narayen had a "legendary run at Adobe" and helped build one of the most important software companies in the world while expanding opportunities for creators and businesses globally. Amitabh Kant, former CEO at Niti Aayog, wrote on X that Narayen was a visionary CEO and helped build the foundation for Adobe's dominance in digital experiences, from Photoshop to Firefly AI.