Bruce Chizen

Bruce R. Chizen was born September 5, 1955. He grew up in Brooklyn, New York. His father owned a retail radio TV appliance store, and Chizen would work there on Saturdays. Majoring in health science, Chizen earned a B.S. from Brooklyn College (City University of New York){{cite web|url=https://news.ucsc.edu/2004/06/516.html|title=Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen to address 2004 graduates at UCSC's Baskin School of Engineering commencement; other UCSC celebrations begin on Thursday|date=June 4, 2008|website=ucsc.edu|access-date=2019-12-21}} in 1978.

From 1980 to 1983, he worked in Mattel Electronics' merchandising group, helping it grow into a US$500 million business.

In 1983, Chizen joined Microsoft as the company's eastern region sales director.{{cite web|url=https://jointventure.org/bruce-chizen-bio|title=Bruce Chizen, former CEO, Adobe and 2006 David Packard Award recipient|website=jointventure.org|access-date=2019-12-20}}

He also worked at Claris Corporation. In 1987, he joined Claris as a founding senior manager and later held positions as vice president of sales and of worldwide marketing before becoming vice president and general manager of Claris Clear Choice.

In 1994 Aldus Corporation hired Chizen to run its consumer division in San Diego (what was formerly Silicon Beach Software). Later that year, Aldus was acquired by Adobe Systems and Chizen became vice president and general manager of consumer products.{{cite web|title=Voyager Capital Hires Former Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen, Strengthens Digital Media Expertise, by Gregory T. Huang|url=http://www.xconomy.com/seattle/2009/09/18/voyager-capital-hires-former-adobe-ceo-bruce-chizen-strengthens-digital-media-expertise/2/|website=xconomy.com|date= 18 September 2009|access-date=2019-12-20}}

He joined Adobe in 1994. He was named CEO of Adobe in 2000, working out of San Jose, California. He was also president from 2000 to 2005, and acting CFO from 2006 to 2007. He held the CEO role until 2007. Notably, as CEO he oversaw the acquisition of Macromedia{{cite web|url=http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/invrelations/adobeandmacromedia.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050420013221/http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/invrelations/adobeandmacromedia.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-04-20|title=Adobe and Macromedia|website=adobe.com|access-date=2019-12-20}} in 2005 for $3.4 billion in stock. In an interview, Chizen stated that the primary reason for acquiring Macromedia was to get Flash.{{cite web|url=http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/after-acquiring-macromedia-whats-next-for-adobe-ask-bruce-chizen/|title=After Acquiring Macromedia, What's Next for Adobe? Ask Bruce Chizen|date=March 8, 2006|website=upenn.edu|access-date=2019-12-20}}

During his 14 years at the company, Chizen engaged in transforming Adobe from a developer of graphics and publishing software into a leading diverse supplier of design, media, and business tools.{{cite web|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-30463820071113|title=Adobe CEO Chizen leaves in surprise move|date=November 13, 2007|website=Reuters|access-date=2019-12-21}} On November 12, 2007, Adobe announced that Chizen would step down as CEO effective December 1, to be replaced by Shantanu Narayen, president and chief operating officer. Chizen continued to serve on the board until the spring of 2008, also acting as an advisor until November 28, 2008.{{cite web|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119490280065890425|title=Adobe's Chizen to Leave As CEO at Critical Time|date=Nov 13, 2007|work=The Wall Street Journal|access-date=2019-12-21}}

In 2005, he was a board member at Synopsys, and president of the board of directors for the Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose. Chizen in 2008 sat on several nonprofit boards, including the Silicon Valley Education Foundation, Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose and 1st Act Silicon Valley.{{Cite news |last=Bailey |first=Brandon |date=8 October 2008 |title=Chizen to be honored with SVLG Lifetime Achievement Award |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2008/10/08/chizen-to-be-honored-with-svlg-lifetime-achievement-award/ |work=The Mercury News}}

Chizen became a senior advisor for private-equity firm Permira in 2008, working out of the firm's office in Menlo Park, California.{{Cite news |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/dealbook.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/permira-hires-2-for-silicon-valley-office/ |title=Permira Hires 2 for Silicon Valley Office |date=12 February 2009 |work=The New York Times}} Chizen became a venture partner with Voyager Capital in 2009,{{Cite web |last=Whitney |first=Lance |date=18 September 2009 |title=Former Adobe CEO joins venture capital firm |url=https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/former-adobe-ceo-joins-venture-capital-firm/ |website=CNET}} serving until 2023, when he became a strategic adviser instead. He also sits on the boards of Informatica, joining in August 2015 and becoming executive chairman in August 2016.{{Cite web |last=King |first=Rachel |date=12 January 2016 |title=Informatica staffs up C-suite with CEO, CMO, CFO and chairman |url=https://www.zdnet.com/article/informatica-staffs-up-c-suite-with-new-ceo-cmo-cfo-and-chairman/ |website=ZDNET}}

He became an operating partner at Permira Growth Opportunities in June 2018. He is also on the board at Oracle Corporation,{{cite web|url=https://www.oracle.com/corporate/executives/bruce-chizen.html|title=Bruce R. Chizen|website=oracle.com|access-date=2019-12-20}} Synopsys, and joined the FullStory board in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2021/08/04/fullstory-raises-103m-at-a-1-8b-valuation-to-combat-rage-clicks-on-websites-and-apps/|title=FullStory raises $103M at a $1.8B valuation to combat rage clicks on websites and apps|website=techcrunch.com|date=4 August 2021 |access-date=2022-02-03}} In 2021, he joined Nexthink's board of directors, remaining senior advisor at Permira.{{cite web | url=https://venturebeat.com/business/nexthink-nabs-180-million-to-give-businesses-insights-into-employees-software-experience/ | title=Nexthink nabs $180 million to give businesses insights into employees' software experience | date=8 February 2021 }} He invested in the Seattle startup Uplevel in 2022.{{cite web | url=https://www.geekwire.com/2022/uplevel-a-seattle-startup-that-measures-engineer-productivity-raises-20m/ | title=Uplevel, a Seattle startup that measures engineer productivity, raises $20M | date=13 July 2022 }} In July 2024, he was chairman of McAfee's board of directors,{{cite press release | url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240715566233/en/McAfee-Appoints-Craig-Boundy-as-President-and-Chief-Executive-Officer | title=McAfee Appoints Craig Boundy as President and Chief Executive Officer }} after being appointed to the role in March 2022. Permira had acquired McAfee as part of an investor group in November 2021.https://www.mcafee.com/content/organic-site/en-us/consumer-corporate/newsroom/press-releases/press-release.html?news_id=246b0dad-b4ee-442b-bd1a-22be31392038 He was still on the Delicato board as an independent director in 2024.https://www.mantecabulletin.com/news/local-news/delicato-welcomes-new-board-member/ He is also on the boards of Elemental Technologies and NDS.

Chizen and his wife Gail lived in Los Altos, in Santa Clara County,{{Cite news |url=https://www.smh.com.au/national/adobe-ceo-steps-down-20071113-gdrl2a.html |title=Adobe CEO Steps Down |date=13 November 2007 |work=Sydney Morning Herald}} California with their two children—a son and a daughter.{{Cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/business/ontherecord/article/ADOBE-SYSTEMS-INC-On-the-Record-Bruce-Chizen-2639409.php |title=Adobe Systems Inc./ On the Record: Bruce Chizen |date=24 April 2005 |work=SFGATE}}

{{reflist}}

• [http://www.macworld.com/weblogs/editors/2007/11/chizen/index.php Bruce Chizen's legacy]
• [https://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1572017,00.asp PCMag Adobe CEO Bruce Chizen interview]
• [https://www.economist.com/business/2005/04/14/the-alchemist-of-paper The alchemist of paper - The Economist article]

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Category:Living people

Category:Brooklyn College alumni

Category:1955 births

Category:American technology chief executives

Category:Adobe Inc. people