Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen to Step Down After Nearly Two Decades

Washington, March 2026 : Global software giant Adobe has announced that its long-serving Chief Executive Officer Shantanu Narayen will step down after nearly two decades at the helm, marking the end of one of the most influential leadership tenures in the technology industry.

The San Jose–based company said Narayen will continue in his role as CEO until a successor is appointed. After the transition, he will remain involved with the company as Chair of the Board, ensuring continuity and supporting the incoming leadership.

Adobe’s board of directors has already initiated the succession process by forming a special committee tasked with identifying the next CEO. The search will consider both internal candidates within the company and external leaders from across the technology sector.

Lead Independent Director Frank Calderoni praised Narayen’s long tenure and acknowledged his central role in reshaping the company into one of the world’s most important software firms.

“On behalf of the Board, I want to recognise Shantanu’s contributions as CEO and architect of Adobe’s transformation over the past 18 years, and for positioning Adobe for success in the AI-driven era,” Calderoni said in a statement.

He added that the board is focused on identifying the right leader to guide the company through its next phase of growth while ensuring a smooth leadership transition.

Narayen informed employees of his decision through an internal message circulated across the company on Thursday.

“I want to share with all of you that I have informed the Board of my decision to transition from my role as CEO of Adobe after over 18 years in the job,” he wrote.

He said that in the coming months he will work closely with Calderoni and the board to find his successor and ensure a seamless handover of responsibilities.

Despite stepping down from the CEO role, Narayen emphasised that he will remain deeply connected to the company’s future.

“I will stay on as Chair of the Board to support the next CEO just as John and Chuck did when I took on this role,” he said, referring to former Adobe leaders who supported his leadership transition when he assumed the CEO position in 2007.

Reflecting on his nearly two-decade tenure, Narayen highlighted the company’s extraordinary growth and transformation. When he became CEO, Adobe had around 3,000 employees; today the company employs more than 30,000 people worldwide.

During that period, Adobe’s annual revenue surged from less than $1 billion to more than $25 billion. Narayen also noted that the company’s technology now reaches billions of people through creative tools and digital experiences used by businesses, publishers, and creators globally.

“I am so incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together,” he said, acknowledging the contributions of employees and partners over the years.

Narayen also pointed to the growing role of artificial intelligence in shaping Adobe’s future. According to him, the company’s long-standing mission — empowering people everywhere to create — is becoming even more relevant in the emerging AI era.

“Our mission, Empower Everyone to Create, represents an even larger opportunity in the AI era,” he said, adding that the next phase of creativity will be driven by new technologies, innovative workflows, and entirely new forms of expression enabled by AI.

The announcement prompted reactions from across the global technology industry. Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, congratulated Narayen and praised his leadership in building Adobe into one of the world’s most important software companies.

“Congrats Shantanu, on a legendary run at Adobe! You’ve built one of the most important software companies in the world, and expanded what’s possible for creators, entrepreneurs, and brands everywhere,” Nadella wrote on social media.

Narayen first joined Adobe nearly three decades ago and rose through the ranks before being appointed CEO in 2007. Under his leadership, the company underwent a major strategic shift, moving away from traditional packaged software sales toward a subscription-based cloud model.

This transformation led to the creation and expansion of widely used platforms such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Acrobat, and Adobe Creative Cloud, which have become essential tools for designers, filmmakers, marketers, and digital publishers around the world.

Adobe said Narayen will continue leading the company during the transition period while the board completes the search for its next chief executive, ensuring that the company remains well positioned for its next decade of innovation and growth.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)