Adobe is getting a new CEO. Anil Chakravarthy, currently president of Adobe’s Customer Experience Orchestration business, will step into the top role on December 1, 2026. Shantanu Narayen, who’s led the company for years, will transition to executive chair.

Chakravarthy has been with Adobe since January 2020 and has led major growth across the company’s enterprise products. Under his watch, Adobe built out category-defining tools like GenStudio and Brand Visibility, both powered by AI. He also pushed through key acquisitions including Workfront and Semrush.

Before Adobe, Chakravarthy spent four years as CEO of Informatica and held executive roles at Symantec and VeriSign. He’s got degrees from the Institute of Technology in Varanasi, India, plus a Masters and Ph.D from MIT.

Narayen says the timing is right. “Anil is an experienced transformational leader who leads with values, integrity and a deep knowledge of our business,” he said. “I could not be more confident that Anil is the right person to lead Adobe’s growth in an AI-driven era.”

For creators and artists who rely on Adobe’s suite of tools, this shift signals the company’s doubled-down focus on AI-powered creativity and productivity. The transition happens at a pivotal moment, as generative AI reshapes how creative work gets made.