Adobe CEO Shantanu Naraen steps down after 18 years to become chairman

Adobe announced that Shantanu Narayen will step down from his role as CEO after 18 years. He will continue to serve as Chairman of the Board.

Shantanu Narayen Announces Decision to Transition as Adobe's CEO Once Successor is Named
https://news.adobe.com/news/2026/03/leadership-update

Shantanu Narayen Message to Adobe Employees on decision to Transition from CEO Role Once Successor is Named
https://news.adobe.com/news/2026/03/employee-memo

Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen will leave after company picks successor
https://www.cnbc.com/2026/03/12/adobe-ceo-shantanu-narayen-step-down.html

Narayan earned a bachelor's degree in electronics and communications engineering from Osman University in India and a master's degree in computer science from Bowling Green State University in the United States in 1986. After working as an engineer at Measurex Automation Systems, a Silicon Valley startup, he joined Apple in 1989 and served in senior management roles until 1995.

He then co-founded Pictra, an internet photo sharing service, in 1996, and joined Adobe in 1998. After serving as Senior Vice President of Global Product Development, he was appointed President and COO in 2005 and CEO in 2007.

Narayan is responsible for introducing cloud-based subscription models to key products like Photoshop, Premiere Pro, and Acrobat, and for Adobe's entry into the digital experience space with the acquisition of Omniture, a market research company focused on online marketing and web analytics.

Narayan told employees, 'I will remain as Chairman of the Board and support the next CEO,' making it clear that he will remain as Chairman of the Board even after stepping down as CEO.

Narayan also said, 'This is not a farewell, but a time for reflection. 28 years ago, I was attracted to Adobe by its leadership in creating new market categories, its world-class products, its passion for relentless innovation in every functional area within the company, and the people I met during my interviews. We have continued to create new markets, deliver world-class products, drive innovation in everything we do, and attract and retain the best and brightest talent. During this time, we have grown from approximately 3,000 employees to over 30,000, provided technology that impacts billions of people as customers of our products or as digital experiences created by our customers, and grown our revenue from less than $1 billion (approximately 155 billion yen) to more than $25 billion (3.8 trillion yen). I am truly proud of what we have achieved together. '