Adobe CTO Kevin Lynch, Former Defender of Flash, Joins Apple

First reported by CNBC, Adobe’s Chief Technology Officer, Kevin Lynch, has left the company to join Apple, TNW confirms. Adobe provided the following statement regarding Lynch:

“Kevin Lynch, Adobe CTO, is leaving the company effective March 22 to take a position at Apple.  We will not be replacing the CTO position; responsibility for technology development lies with our business unit heads under the leadership of Adobe CEO Shantanu Narayen.  Bryan Lamkin, who has recently returned to Adobe, will assume responsibilities for cross company research and technology initiatives as well as Corporate Development.  We wish Kevin well in this new chapter of his career.”

As a former defender of Adobe’s Flash Player, Lynch blogged three years ago (via Paris Lemon) how the ball was in Apple’s court to include Flash on iOS devices:

So, what about Flash running on Apple devices? We have shown that Flash technology is starting to work on these devices today by enabling standalone applications for the iPhone to be built on Flash. In fact, some of these apps are already available in the Apple App Store such as FickleBlox and Chroma Circuit. This same solution will work on the iPad as well. We are ready to enable Flash in the browser on these devices if and when Apple chooses to allow that for its users, but to date we have not had the required cooperation from Apple to make this happen.

This was followed by the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs’ famous “thoughts” on Flash shortly afterwards, doubting whether the Adobe would bring the add on to mobile devices, and if it was even relevant anymore. Well, Jobs was right, as last June Adobe announced it planned on abandoning Flash for Android.

Adobe has yet to update its website as Lynch’s profile still remains under the heading of ‘leaders’. So the once staunch defender of Flash who ragged on Apple’s lack of cooperation for implementing the player has now joined the latter. How about them Apples?

Update: CNBC reports Lynch will be reporting to Apple SVP Bob Mansfield:

$AAPL confirms: Kevin Lynch has joined as VP of Technology, reporting to SVP Bob Mansfield

— Jon Fortt (@jonfortt) 19. März 2013