Business' vital role in smart city and country development: Interview with Adobe's CEO

In the pursuit of creating smarter cities, countries, and regions, private companies today occupy a crucial position, spearheading the development and implementation of tools that effectively contribute to the evolution of smarter environments, subsequently impacting our quality of life. Notably, Adobe stands out as one of the pioneers in this field.

Shantanu Narayen, CEO of Adobe and the recipient of the Global High-Tech Award 2022, delivered a special presentation at the Silicon Mountains 2023 summit. In an exclusive interview with NEWS.am Tech, he discussed the innovative products and solutions that the company is contributing to the advancement of smart cities and countries, shed light on how Adobe integrates sustainable development principles into its decision-making and outlined the company's future plans regarding its presence in Armenia.

Adobe's focus on smart technologies

"Adobe has always been committed to changing the world through digital experiences," said Shantanu Narayen.

According to him, Adobe offers a plethora of compelling solutions that underpin numerous services provided by national governments to their citizens, as well as by enterprises to their users. This includes the digitalization of government services, various services in the domains of education and healthcare, the automation and digitization of archaic paper-based processes, and much more. Moreover, he emphasized that business, through its solutions, is actively facilitating the accessibility of modern technologies to a diverse array of users.

"In contemporary discussions, digital inequality is a significant focus. Both the private and public sectors clearly have a responsibility of ensuring equitable access to computing technology, as it unlocks new societal opportunities. At Adobe, we are dedicated to ensuring equal access to our technology solutions for all. By transitioning to cloud-based technologies, we have further enhanced accessibility. Additionally, our products are available in numerous languages, facilitating accessibility for a wider user base," Narayen affirmed.

During the challenging period of the coronavirus pandemic, the company made significant efforts to ensure students' continuous access to services like Creative Cloud and Document Cloud.

Overall, Narayen noted that the pandemic, alongside its challenges, had a profound impact on the world and the technology sector. It led to the migration of numerous real-world processes into the virtual realm, providing individuals residing in remote areas with access to technologies and services previously less accessible. This shift has undeniably opened new horizons for humanity.

Adobe's commitment to sustainability

Recognized for its dedication to sustainability, Adobe actively incorporates the principles of sustainable development into its products and solutions. Shantanu Narayen, in a conversation with NEWS.am Tech, affirmed the company's efforts to contribute to the establishment of more environmentally friendly smart cities and countries through its conscious adoption of sustainable practices.

The recent inauguration of the company's new office in San Jose serves as a tangible manifestation of its commitment to sustainable development, as highlighted by its CEO. Narayen emphasized that the new building is ‘all electric.’

"As the first company to achieve LEED Platinum certification, we have always been exceptionally conscientious about our energy usage," stated Narayen.

LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) represents an internationally recognized certification program for green and resource-efficient buildings, developed by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Based on the number of points earned in various categories, buildings can attain different levels of LEED certification, including Certified, Silver, Gold, and Platinum. The Platinum level signifies the highest certification attainable under LEED, signifying the integration of a diverse range of sustainable features and practices that reflect an unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility and resource efficiency at the most elevated levels. LEED Platinum certified buildings are widely regarded as some of the most environmentally friendly and sustainable structures.

Furthermore, Adobe's PDF documents represent an additional exemplification of how the company's products contribute to environmental preservation. By substantially reducing the use of paper documents, digital documents in the form of PDFs actively aid in forest conservation efforts.

"I believe that the fact that we have trillions of PDFs that are being created also contributes to society at large," Narayen added.

Adobe's presence in Armenia

In 2020, Adobe acquired Workfront. The company is soon inaugurating a brand new office in Armenia and plans to continue investing in the development of new products and solutions, as well as fostering collaborations with universities.

"I am delighted to be here in Armenia today. Our journey commenced with our small presence in Yerevan, specifically with the acquisition of Workfront. As this business grows, our investments will expand, given our commitment to pioneering new products and solutions. Additionally, we are actively exploring partnerships with universities. Adobe has consistently engaged in university research and frequently hires recent graduates," Narayen said. 

He further emphasized that Adobe's initiatives in Armenia will undoubtedly contribute to the country's progress and attract investments from other companies.