Melanie Perkins is a distinguished Australian technology entrepreneur and the co-founder and CEO of Canva, a revolutionary online design platform. Under her leadership, Canva has transformed the graphic design landscape, allowing users to create professional-quality designs with ease. Perkins co-founded Canva in 2013, building on her earlier success with Fusion Books, which she established in 2007. Fusion Books became Australia’s largest yearbook company, showcasing her ability to identify market needs and innovate accordingly.

Perkins’s journey to success was marked by resilience and determination. After facing over 100 rejections from local investors, she persevered, connecting with prominent venture capitalists and tech experts, including Bill Tai and Lars Rasmussen. This networking led to the recruitment of Cameron Adams, a former Google employee, who became Canva’s chief product officer. Under Perkins’s guidance, Canva achieved profitability and was recognized as one of the few unicorn start-ups in the tech industry, with a valuation exceeding A$1 billion.

In addition to her entrepreneurial achievements, Perkins is a vocal advocate for gender equality in the tech industry. She has implemented policies at Canva that promote diversity and inclusivity, resulting in a workforce that boasts 41% female representation, significantly higher than the industry average. Perkins’s commitment to mentorship and empowerment is evident in her efforts to inspire underrepresented individuals to pursue careers in technology.

As of November 2023, Perkins’s net worth is estimated at A$3.6 billion, solidifying her status as one of Australia’s wealthiest women and a powerful force in the global tech scene. Her dedication to philanthropy is also noteworthy; she and her husband, Cliff Obrecht, have committed to donating at least half of their fortune to charitable causes through the Giving Pledge.