Adobe CEO Shantanu steps down

Washington: Adobe’s long-serving chief executive Shantanu Narayen will step down after nearly two decades at the helm of the software giant, the company said Friday, beginning a leadership transition at one of the world’s most influential technology firms.

Narayen, who became CEO in 2007, will remain chair of the board after a successor is appointed, helping guide the transition. Adobe’s board has formed a special committee to search for the next chief executive, considering both internal and external candidates.

During Narayen’s tenure, Adobe underwent a sweeping transformation, shifting from packaged software sales to a subscription-based cloud platform. The company expanded across digital media, creative tools and customer experience services, with flagship products such as Photoshop, Acrobat and Creative Cloud becoming essential tools for creators, businesses and publishers worldwide. Satya Nadella, chief executive of Microsoft, congratulated Narayen, calling his tenure a “legendary run” and praising him for building one of the world’s important software companies and expanding opportunities for creators, entrepreneurs and brands globally. Narayen said he would work with the board to ensure a smooth transition.