Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen to step down after 18 years

Adobe has announced that Shantanu Narayen will step down as CEO after 18 years leading the software giant. Narayen, who joined Adobe in 1998 and became CEO in 2007, has guided the company from $1 billion in revenue to over $25 billion, expanding its workforce from 3,000 to more than 30,000 employees.

Following the announcement, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella praised Narayen as a “legend” in the software industry, noting his mentorship and influence on creativity and entrepreneurship worldwide. “Congrats Shantanu, on a legendary run at Adobe! You’ve built one of the most important software companies in the world,” Nadella wrote on X, News.Az reports, citing foreign media.

Narayen will remain CEO until a successor is named and continue as chair of the board. His departure comes as Adobe faces questions about AI-driven competition, with rivals like Google’s Nano Banana making image editing easier without traditional apps. Under Narayen, Adobe launched AI-powered products like Firefly, whose adoption has more than tripled annual recurring revenue over the past year.

Reflecting on his tenure, Narayen stated, “The next era of creativity is being written right now—shaped by AI, new workflows, and entirely new forms of expression.” His leadership cemented Adobe’s place as a go-to platform for creators, with flagship apps including Photoshop and Premiere Pro.

News.Az 

By Aysel Mammadzada