IIT grad Anil Chakravarthy named Adobe CEO, Shantanu Narayen hails his business skills

Adobe has named Anil Chakravarthy as its new CEO. He will replace Shantanu Narayen on December 1. Chakravarthy has worked at Adobe for nearly seven years and is a graduate from IIT Varanasi. Anil Chakravarthy will take over as Adobe CEO on December 1. (Photos: Reuters/Adobe)Adobe is set to have a new CEO. The company has announced Anil Chakravarthy will be replacing Shantanu Narayen as president and CEO. Narayen had said in March that he would step down after 18 years in the top job. Chakravarthy will take over on December 1 and also join Adobe’s board at a time when investors are concerned over the company’s future as AI reshapes the software industry.Anil Chakravarthy shared a LinkedIn post, acknowledging that AI will be at the forefront of innovation. “Honoured and incredibly excited for what’s ahead at Adobe. Our customers, employees (best in the world!) and AI innovation are top of mind, as always,” he wrote. “Deep gratitude to our Chair & CEO, Shantanu Narayen, and the Adobe Board of Directors for their trust in me. Adobe’s best days are ahead!” A screenshot of Chakravarthy's LinkedIn post. In a statement, Shantanu Narayen called Anil Chakravarthy an “experienced transformational leader who leads with values, integrity and a deep knowledge of our business.” Narayen will move into the role of executive chair and work closely with him during the transition, the company said.Who is Anil Chakravarthy?Anil Chakravarthy joined Adobe in January 2020, nearly seven years ago, after serving as CEO of enterprise cloud data management company Informatica from 2015 to 2020. He first joined Adobe as executive vice-president and general manager of its Digital Experience business. In September 2020, Chakravarthy also took charge of worldwide field operations across Adobe’s portfolio, and in December 2021 he was promoted to president of Digital Experience and worldwide field operations. Most recently, he served as president of Adobe’s customer experience orchestration business and worldwide field operations.In the past, Chakravarthy held executive roles at Symantec and VeriSign and also worked at McKinsey & Company. He holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) Varanasi, and a Master of Science and PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He currently also serves on the board of IT services and consulting company FIS.Anil Chakravarthy to lead Adobe in AI eraChakravarthy’s appointment comes as Adobe tries to hold its position in design and creative software while rapid advances in AI bring new competition into its markets. The company has been embedding AI across its products and in June raised its annual profit forecast, pointing to demand for its AI-powered tools. Even so, some analysts have remained sceptical about the longer-term effect of AI on Adobe’s business. Anil Chakravarthy comes with a strong background in implementing AI solutions across Adobe’s products. As per the company, Chakravarthy helped build its customer experience orchestration business, which uses real-time data and AI to help businesses deliver more personalised customer experiences across digital channels. He has also led AI-linked products including Adobe CX Enterprise, GenStudio and Brand Visibility, and played a role in Adobe’s acquisitions of Workfront and Semrush and their integration into the company’s portfolio. Adobe’s shares have come under pressure alongside other software companies seen as vulnerable to AI disruption. After a boom in 2023, the stock fell 25 per cent in 2024 and another 21 per cent in 2025, and is down about 18 per cent so far in 2026. The shares were down about 2 per cent in extended trading after the announcement, with another report putting the after-hours decline at 1.7 per cent.- EndsPublished By: Armaan AgarwalPublished On: Sep 4, 2026 09:50 IST