NEW DELHI — Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella on Friday praised Shantanu Narayen’s leadership at Adobe after the longtime chief executive announced plans to step down from the U.S.-based software company.
Nadella shared a message on social media congratulating Narayen on what he described as a transformative tenure leading one of the world’s most influential software firms.
“Congrats Shantanu, on a legendary run at Adobe! You’ve built one of the most important software companies in the world, and expanded what’s possible for creators, entrepreneurs, and brands everywhere,” Nadella wrote.
“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. Grateful for your friendship, mentorship, and for all you’ve done for Adobe and for our industry,” he added.
San Jose-based Adobe earlier announced that Narayen will step down as chief executive after nearly two decades in the role.
The company said Narayen will remain CEO until a successor is appointed and will then continue as chairman of the board to help guide the leadership transition.
Adobe’s board has formed a special committee to oversee the search for a new chief executive, considering both internal and external candidates.
“On behalf of the Board, I want to recognise Shantanu’s contributions as CEO and architect of Adobe’s transformation over the past 18 years, and for positioning Adobe for success in the AI-driven era,” said Frank Calderoni, Adobe’s lead independent director.
During Narayen’s tenure, Adobe shifted from selling packaged software to a subscription-based cloud platform and expanded its offerings across digital media, creative tools and customer experience services.
The company’s flagship products — including Photoshop, Acrobat and Creative Cloud — have become essential tools for creators, businesses and digital publishers worldwide.
Reflecting on Adobe’s growth during his leadership, Narayen said the company expanded significantly in both scale and reach.
“We grew from 3K employees to 30K employees, delivered technology that touched billions of people as customers of our products or the digital experiences that our customers create, leading to our revenue growing from over $1 billion to around $25 billion,” he said. (Source: IANS)
