Shantanu Narayen
Also at Adobe Inc
About
Shantanu Narayen, aged 61 as of January 2025, was born in India and built a robust academic foundation with degrees in Electronics Engineering, Computer Science, and Business Administration. His early academic pursuits laid the groundwork for a career marked by innovative leadership and strategic vision.
His professional journey at Adobe began in January 1998 when he joined as Vice President and General Manager of the Engineering Technology Group. Over the following years, he embraced increasing responsibilities, progressing from Senior Vice President of Worldwide Products in January 1999 to Executive Vice President in March 2001, then to President and Chief Operating Officer in January 2005. His appointment as Chief Executive Officer in December 2007 marked a pivotal moment, leading the company through transformative changes, including the adoption of a cloud-based subscription model and redefining digital marketing strategies.
Beyond his contributions to Adobe, his extensive experience includes serving on boards—most notably as the Lead Independent Director at Pfizer Inc.—and previous roles at leading technology companies such as Apple and Silicon Graphics. These experiences underscore his broad impact within the technology sector and strengthen his reputation as a visionary leader who has helped redefine industry standards.
$ADBE Performance Under Shantanu Narayen
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Date Range | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adobe (ADBE) | President and Chief Operating Officer | Jan 2005 - Dec 2007 | Promoted in January 2005 |
| Adobe (ADBE) | Executive Vice President, Worldwide Product Marketing and Development | Mar 2001 - Jan 2005 | Promoted in March 2001 |
| Adobe (ADBE) | Senior Vice President, Worldwide Products | Jan 1999 - Mar 2001 | Promoted in January 1999 |
| Adobe (ADBE) | Vice President and General Manager of the Engineering Technology Group | Jan 1998 - Jan 1999 | Joined Adobe in January 1998 |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Date Range |
|---|---|---|
| Pfizer Inc. | Lead Independent Director | N/A |
Fixed Compensation
| Component Name | Amount | Payment Schedule | Additional Details ( for Base Salary; for Other Compensation) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base Salary | $1,500,000 | Annual | Remained unchanged from 2023 |
| All Other Compensation | $1,601,047 | Annual | Includes Deferred Compensation Plan Contributions ($2,866,401), Aggregate Earnings ($3,000,103), and other benefits |
Performance Compensation
Annual Cash Incentive
| Metric | Target | Actual/Result | Additional Details ( ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $21.40 billion | $21.51 billion (100% performance) | Achieved required performance; 90% threshold for payout |
| Non-GAAP Diluted EPS | $17.80 | $18.42 (100% performance) | Achievement met all targets |
| Corporate Performance Result | N/A | 98% (after 2% downward adjustment) | Adjusted to exclude foreign currency fluctuation effects |
| Target Cash Incentive | $3,000,000 | $2,940,000 | Set at 200% of Base Salary, reflecting performance |
Performance Share Awards
| Award Type | Threshold (# shares) | Target (# shares) | Maximum (# shares) | Grant Date | Grant Date Fair Value | Vesting Conditions | Evaluation Period | Additional Details ( ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 PSP | 10,228 | 31,474 | 62,948 | 1/24/2024 | $21,044,970 | Based on achieving TSR (50%) and Net New Sales (50%) goals; vests on the later of the third anniversary of the Vesting Commencement Date or Certification Date | Calendar years 2024-2026 (TSR) and Fiscal years 2024-2026 (Net New Sales) | Weighted average grant date stock price of $645.40 |
| 2023 PSP | 2,189 | 13,687 | 27,374 | 1/24/2024 | $8,300,892 | Vesting tied to performance conditions similar to 2024 PSP | Same as above | Part of the net new sales goal awards |
| 2022 PSP | 1,248 | 7,803 | 15,606 | 1/24/2024 | $4,732,363 | Vesting tied to performance conditions similar to 2024 PSP | Same as above | Part of the net new sales goal awards |
| RSU | N/A | N/A | N/A | 1/24/2024 | $12,270,910 | Standard RSU vesting schedule (details not explicitly provided) | N/A | Constitutes 30% of total target equity awards |
This section covers the performance compensation for 2024 including both the Annual Cash Incentive and the Performance Share Awards. The Annual Cash Incentive is based on strict revenue and EPS performance metrics with a payout threshold of 90% and a target incentive of $3,000,000, while the Performance Share Awards are split between relative TSR and net new sales goals, with detailed share thresholds, targets, and maximums as shown above.