Homburg, Germany-based Maxon, developers of the award-winning 3D and animation software Cinema 4D, have announced the appointment of Steve Forde to the role of chief product officer (CPO). In this role, Forde will lead Maxon’s global product organization, where he will work closely with Chief Technology Officer and AI Officer Philip Losch to drive product strategy, execution, and long-term innovation across the company’s product portfolio.
Steve Forde
Forde comes to Maxon with a long history of connection to the company. Earlier in his career, he founded two startups, including Gridiron Software, where Forde oversaw the development of plugins for Adobe After Effects, which led to his first deep connections to Maxon.
Steve Forde comes to Maxon with deep roots at Adobe and veteran software startup experience.
During his career, he held senior leadership roles at Adobe and Amazon, where he led product, engineering, and design teams for large-scale platforms such as Adobe After Effects and Amazon Prime Video.
“What drew me to Maxon was the convergence of people, technology, and a fundamental shift in how creative content is made,” said Steve Forde, Chief Product Officer at Maxon. “The proliferation of games, advertising, and social media is driving 3D from niche skillset to mainstream job requirement. With the right combination of product innovation and intelligent workflows, it can become accessible to an even broader audience. Maxon is uniquely positioned to lead that transformation, not just by building powerful tools, but by delivering experiences that scale with creators as their needs evolve. I didn’t want to sit on the sidelines while it happens.”
Industry Shifts
This new appointment comes at a time when the industries Maxon serves are undergoing skill democratization, and 3D skills are becoming increasingly mandatory across standard roles, including architecture, graphics, advertising, and film and television creatives. Specialists will continue to exist, but companies like Maxon are increasingly targeting their technologies to support broader access to 3D skillsets.
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Forde’s appointment will reinforce Maxon’s promise to strengthen its leadership team while advancing its product offering to address the evolving needs of creators in the markets it serves.
“Steve brings a deep understanding of both where Maxon comes from and where the market is heading,” said David McGavran, CEO of Maxon. “His ability to connect long-term vision with practical execution makes him an ideal partner as we continue to grow. This appointment strengthens our leadership team and positions Maxon to lead the industry through the next phase of creative evolution.”
The Future
Forde’s mandate going forward will be to guide software and technology developments that integrate emerging technologies into Maxon’s products in ways that respect artistic craft and amplify human creativity. He will focus on removing friction in workflows and expanding the possibilities of creative 3D artists so that they spend less time navigating complexities in workflows and tools.
Maxon will continue to invest deeply in product innovation and deepen its connection to the artist communities it serves. To learn more about Maxon, visit here.
Architosh Commentary and Analysis:
Steve Forde had a prominent 10-year career at Adobe and was a key figure in the strategic alliance between Adobe and Maxon in 2013 when Cinema 4D Lite was directly integrated into After Effects. His career at Adobe began with After Effects, becoming principal product manager in 2013, group manager in 2014, and finally general manager of emerging products in 2017. Like Maxon’s CEO, David McGavran, Forde spent many years leading large teams centered on After Effects and Adobe’s motion graphics and video tools.
This appointment further strengthens Maxon’s leadership with former key leaders from US-based Adobe. The two companies began with a single tool bridge into a deep, cross-platform ecosystem and has grown to include native engine integrations, specialized plugins and strategic product bundles. Adobe’s acquisition of Substance resulted in the recognition that a powerful bundle between the two companies is Maxon One + Adobe Substance 3D, which provides a complete 3D design and texturing pipeline in a single subscription. That was initially released as a limited-time bundle.
