Adobe names Anil Chakravarthy CEO; Shantanu Narayen moves to executive chair
Synopsis
Adobe's biggest leadership shift in nearly two decades is official: Anil Chakravarthy, the architect of Adobe's enterprise and AI strategy, takes over as CEO on 1 December 2026, with Shantanu Narayen — who steered the company's cloud transformation — stepping into an executive chair role. The timing signals Adobe's intent to accelerate hard into the agentic AI era.
Key Takeaways
Anil Chakravarthy will become Adobe's president and CEO effective 1 December 2026 .
Shantanu Narayen transitions to executive chair, remaining closely involved in the handover.
Chakravarthy joined Adobe in January 2020 and was promoted to president of Digital Experience and worldwide field operations in December 2021 .
Before Adobe, he served as CEO of Informatica for four years.
The transition positions Adobe to push deeper into agentic AI for creativity, productivity, and customer experience.
Software giant Adobe has announced that Anil Chakravarthy will succeed Shantanu Narayen as president and chief executive officer, marking the most significant leadership transition at the company in nearly two decades. Chakravarthy will join Adobe's Board of Directors effective 1 December 2026, while Narayen transitions to the role of executive chair.
Who Is Anil Chakravarthy
Chakravarthy currently serves as president of Adobe's Customer Experience Orchestration business and worldwide field operations — a role that places him at the centre of Adobe's enterprise and AI-driven product strategy. He first joined Adobe in January 2020 as executive vice president and general manager of the Digital Experience business. By September 2020, he had taken on worldwide field operations, and in December 2021 was elevated to president of Digital Experience and worldwide field operations.
Before Adobe, Chakravarthy served as CEO of Informatica, a global leader in enterprise cloud data management, for four years — giving him direct experience running a large-scale software organisation.
What Narayen Said
'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,' said Shantanu Narayen.
Narayen added: '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.'
Chakravarthy's Vision for Adobe
The incoming CEO said he is 'energised 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 credited Narayen's stewardship for positioning Adobe well for its next growth chapter: '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.'
What the Transition Means for Adobe
Narayen, who has led Adobe for nearly two decades and oversaw its landmark pivot from boxed software to a cloud subscription model, will remain closely involved as executive chair, supporting Chakravarthy through the handover. The transition comes as Adobe intensifies its push into agentic AI — autonomous software agents capable of executing multi-step creative and enterprise workflows — a space where the company faces growing competition from both legacy rivals and AI-native startups.
The leadership change is set to take formal effect on 1 December 2026, with both executives expected to work in tandem during the transition period.
Point of View
Not a surprise — he has been running the enterprise engine of Adobe for years and was the logical internal candidate. What the market will watch is whether he can extend Adobe's creative monopoly into the agentic AI layer before well-funded challengers commoditise it. Narayen's move to executive chair is a stabilising signal, but it also raises the question of how much strategic latitude the new CEO will actually have. The real test of this transition will come in Adobe's first earnings call under Chakravarthy's name.
NationPress
4 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is replacing Shantanu Narayen as Adobe CEO?
Anil Chakravarthy, currently president of Adobe's Customer Experience Orchestration business and worldwide field operations, will replace Shantanu Narayen as president and CEO effective 1 December 2026.
What will Shantanu Narayen do after stepping down as CEO?
Narayen will transition to the role of executive chair at Adobe, where he will work closely with Chakravarthy to ensure a smooth leadership handover and support the company's ongoing transformation.
What is Anil Chakravarthy's background before becoming Adobe CEO?
Chakravarthy joined Adobe in January 2020 and rose to president of Digital Experience and worldwide field operations by December 2021. Prior to Adobe, he served as CEO of Informatica, a global enterprise cloud data management company, for four years.
When does Anil Chakravarthy officially take over as Adobe CEO?
Chakravarthy will join Adobe's Board of Directors and assume the president and CEO role effective 1 December 2026.
Why is this leadership change significant for Adobe?
The transition marks Adobe's most consequential leadership shift in nearly two decades and comes as the company accelerates its push into agentic AI — autonomous software capable of handling complex creative and enterprise workflows — amid rising competition from AI-native rivals.
