Cannes, France: The Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity has announced Shantanu Narayen, Chair and CEO of Adobe, as the inaugural recipient of its Creative Champion of the Year award. This newly introduced accolade honours individuals and organisations that have made long-term and meaningful contributions to empowering creative professionals with the tools needed to bring their ideas to life.
The recognition celebrates Narayen’s transformative leadership at Adobe, where he has championed innovation at the intersection of technology and creativity. Under his stewardship, Adobe has played a pivotal role in democratising creative expression, giving creators across disciplines access to advanced digital tools. His efforts have helped shape the digital experience category, integrating creativity with marketing science, and more recently, spearheading Adobe’s advancements in artificial intelligence.
“While human imagination is almost boundless, turning visionary ideas into reality depends on partners who provide innovative tools, cutting-edge technologies, and bold collaborations,” said Philip Thomas, Chair, LIONS. “This new honour is dedicated to individuals or organisations that have not only innovated but have profoundly understood and supported the needs of creative people. As we reflected on who should receive this inaugural Award, Adobe and Shantanu’s leadership stood out.”
Thomas praised Narayen’s influence on the global creative ecosystem, stating, “Adobe has redefined how the world approaches creative expression, and Shantanu’s vision and dedication to enabling creativity in its many forms have empowered millions to imagine, create and achieve more than they ever thought possible.”
Narayen expressed his gratitude for the recognition: “It is truly an honour to be acknowledged by an organisation that has been instrumental in fostering creative excellence in advertising and marketing for over seven decades. This award is a celebration of the incredible team at Adobe whose passion, ingenuity and dedication have enabled us to deliver ground-breaking technology that expands opportunities for more people everywhere to bring their creativity to life.”
A highly respected figure in the global business community, Narayen has appeared on prestigious lists such as Barron’s World’s Best CEOs, Fortune Businessperson of the Year, and was named a Top CEO by Glassdoor based on employee feedback. He is also a recipient of the Padma Shri, one of India’s highest civilian honours, and The Economic Times Global Indian of the Year award.
Shantanu Narayen will be presented with the Creative Champion of the Year Award during the Cannes Lions Awards Show on Tuesday, 17 June, followed by a keynote address on the Lumière Theatre stage on Wednesday, 18 June.
