Kevin Lynch is Adobe’s new CTO

Earlier in the day, Adobe announced the promotion of Kevin Lynch to chief technology officer (CTO). As the new CTO, Lynch will oversee Adobe’s experience design and core technology across business units. He will continue to drive Adobe’s technology platform for designers and developers, which includes – Adobe Flash Player, Adobe Flex and Adobe AIR.

The recently named CEO of Adobe, Shantanu Narayen said, “Kevin has made a tremendous impact expanding our technology vision during his time at Adobe. Adobe has transformed itself through several technology waves, from desktop publishing, to multimedia and to the Web. Kevin’s insights and passion for rich Internet applications, and what they signify for the future of software across operating systems and devices, will help enable the next generation of innovation for our customers.”

Lynch joined Adobe through the company’s 2005 acquisition of Macromedia where he served as chief software architect and president of product development. He headed up the creation of the company’s mobile and devices group and served as general manager of the web publishing group. Lynch also oversaw the initial development of Macromedia Dreamweaver, a leading web development product.

Before joining Macromedia in 1996, Lynch worked for General Magic, where he pioneered a navigational user interface for handheld communicators. Previously, he designed the user interface and developed the first Macintosh release of FrameMaker software for Frame Technology, later acquired by Adobe. While at the University of Illinois, Lynch developed early Macintosh applications, including a desktop publishing program that introduced user interface elements in common use today.

Lynch holds three patents with others currently pending, and he is actively involved in Adobe’s international standards efforts with organizations such as the W3C, ECMA and ISO. In 2003, he was named one of CRN’s “Top 25 Innovators,” and was honored as one of the “First Annual Web Innovators” by CNET in 1998. Lynch studied interactive computer graphics at the University of Illinois, working with artists and engineers in the Electronic Visualization Laboratory.