Adobe has announced that Anil Chakravarthy will become its next president and chief executive officer, replacing long-serving CEO Shantanu Narayen.

Chakravarthy will take over on December 1, while Narayen will move into the position of executive chairman after leading Adobe for nearly two decades. 

Chakravarthy is already a senior Adobe executive and has led the company’s customer-experience business. 

His appointment means Adobe has chosen an internal candidate to lead the company as it faces major changes in the software industry driven by artificial intelligence.

Adobe is best known for products such as Photoshop, Acrobat and Illustrator, but the company is increasingly focused on integrating AI into its creative and business software. 

The new CEO will therefore be responsible for helping Adobe compete as generative AI changes how people create images, documents, videos and other digital content.

The leadership change comes at a sensitive period for Adobe. AI companies are developing tools that can perform tasks traditionally associated with professional creative software, creating new competition while also providing Adobe with opportunities to add AI-powered features to its existing products.

Narayen’s move to executive chairman means he will continue to have a role in the company’s leadership and strategy.

Chakravarthy will take responsibility for day-to-day operations and Adobe’s next phase of growth as the company attempts to strengthen its position in an increasingly AI-driven software market. 

Sources: Wall Street Journal, BusinessWire, Economic Times