Adobe’s Next Chapter: Anil Chakravarthy to Take Over as CEO From Shantanu Narayen…
Adobe is set for a major leadership transition as Anil Chakravarthy prepares to take over as President and CEO on December 1, 2026. Chakravarthy, who has been with Adobe since 2020, will also join the company’s Board of Directors. Shantanu Narayen, who has led Adobe for more than 18 years, will step into the role of Executive Chair and continue to work with Chakravarthy during the transition. Adobe said its board unanimously selected Chakravarthy following a formal succession process led by Lead Independent Director Frank Calderoni. Chakravarthy has held several senior roles at Adobe and most recently served as President of the company’s Customer Experience Orchestration business and worldwide field operations. During his tenure, he has been closely involved in Adobe’s enterprise and AI strategy, including products such as Adobe CX Enterprise, GenStudio and Brand Visibility. He also helped expand Adobe Experience Platform and was involved in the integration of acquisitions including Workfront and Semrush. His experience puts him at the centre of Adobe’s push into generative and agentic AI across creativity, productivity and customer experience. Before joining Adobe, Chakravarthy was CEO of Informatica and previously held leadership positions at Symantec and VeriSign, along with a stint at McKinsey & Company. He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from the Institute of Technology, Varanasi, as well as a master’s degree and PhD from MIT. His combination of enterprise technology experience and knowledge of Adobe’s business is expected to play an important role as he takes charge of the company. The leadership change comes at a crucial time for Adobe as artificial intelligence reshapes the software industry and intensifies competition. Narayen’s move to Executive Chair is expected to provide continuity, while Chakravarthy will face the challenge of turning Adobe’s AI investments into sustained growth. His appointment signals that Adobe is choosing an experienced insider to lead the company through its next phase of transformation.