Microsoft's Satya Nadella led tributes as the creative software giant confirmed a leadership transition is under way
Adobe's chief executive Shantanu Narayen is planning to step down once a successor has been identified, with the company's founder set to remain as chair of the board.
Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella was among the first prominent figures to respond publicly, posting a tribute on LinkedIn that credited Narayen with building "one of the most important software companies in the world."
"What has always stood out to me is the empathy you've brought to the creative process and the example you've set as a leader," Nadella wrote, also citing a personal debt to Narayen for mentorship and friendship.
Narayen has led Adobe since 2007, overseeing a period of substantial growth that took the company from roughly 3,000 employees and under $1 billion in annual revenue to more than 30,000 staff and revenues exceeding $25 billion.
Adobe's software, which includes Photoshop, Illustrator and the Acrobat document suite, now reaches billions of users worldwide.
The leadership change arrives as Adobe is navigating a significant shift in the creative software industry driven by artificial intelligence, with AI-generated imagery and automated design tools reshaping how its core products are used.
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No timeline for the transition has been announced and Adobe has not named any candidates for the chief executive role.
Narayen's planned departure follows the collapse of Adobe's proposed $20 billion acquisition of design platform Figma in 2023, which was abandoned after regulators in the UK and Europe raised competition concerns.
The recap
- Satya Nadella congratulates Shantanu Narayen on a 'legendary run'.
- Adobe grew from ~3,000 to 30,000+ employees under his leadership.
- Narayen will step down once successor is named; remain Chair.