Adobe is getting a new boss in Anil Chakravarthy starting December, Shantanu Narayen to transition as executive chairman

San Jose-headquartered digital software and services company Adobe has announced Anil Chakravarthy, the current President - Customer Experience Orchestration Business and worldwide field operations, as its next CEO starting December 1, 2026. Shantanu Narayen, the current Chair and CEO, will transition to executive chair, working closely with Chakravarthy during the transition period. “I could not be more confident that Anil is the right person to lead Adobe's growth in an AI-driven era and look forward to working closely with him in my new role as executive chair,” said Narayen in a company release, calling Chakravarthy a transformational leader who leads with values, integrity and a deep knowledge of Adobe’s business.

Chakravarthy, who holds a Bachelor of Technology in Computer Science and Engineering degree from the Institute of Technology, Varanasi, and a Master of Science and Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, joined Adobe in 2020 from Informatica as its executive vice president and general manager, leading the Digital Experience business. In September 2020, he took on the additional responsibility of leading Adobe’s worldwide field operations and, in December 2021, he was promoted to president of Digital Experience and worldwide field operations.

On his appointment, Chakravarthy said, “Adobe has a history of building the future — not just through our technology, but through our people and our commitment to customers. Thanks to Shantanu's exceptional leadership in transforming Adobe's business model over the decades, we are well positioned to achieve Adobe's next chapter of growth. I want to thank the Board for the confidence they've placed in me.”

Chakravarthy’s appointment comes at a time when Adobe is factoring in AI at the very foundation of its growth model and product strategy, and newer business models beyond subscriptions to consumption pricing, token-based credits and outcome-based pricing for enterprises, even as it faces challenges from OpenAI, Microsoft, Canva and emerging AI-native startups. Chakravarthy, who was pivotal in the acquisitions and integration of Workfront, a marketing workflow management startup for $1.5 billion, and more recently Semrush, a brand visibility platform for $1.9 billion.

During the company’s Q2 earnings call, Chakravarthy said that AI continued to be a tailwind for the enterprise business, with the Creative & Marketing Professional subscription revenue growing 11% year-over-year to $4.54 billion for the quarter and Semrush adding $480 million ARR to Adobe’s business.