Melanie Perkins

Melanie Perkins has transitioned from a university dropout to the co-founder and CEO of Canva, a global online graphic design platform. After identifying the complexities of traditional graphic design tools, Melanie Perkins co-founded Fusion Books in 2007 with Cliff Obrecht. This innovative early venture provided an online platform that empowered schools to create yearbooks efficiently through a user-friendly drag-and-drop editor and a comprehensive library of templates. Fusion Books rapidly achieved success, expanding its operations within Australia before subsequently establishing a presence in New Zealand and France, laying the foundational groundwork for a broader vision to democratize design.

Since its launch, Canva has demonstrated remarkable growth and profitability, transforming the online graphic design landscape. The platform now serves an impressive 220 million monthly users globally, including 6 million teams from prominent companies such as Zoom. Facilitating the creation of a diverse array of visuals, from menus to social media graphics, Canva achieved a significant valuation of $40 billion by private investors in September 2021, solidifying its position as a global leader in accessible design solutions. Beyond her entrepreneurial achievements, Melanie Perkins has also underscored a strong commitment to philanthropy.

In 2021, alongside Cliff Obrecht, she joined the Giving Pledge, a global initiative for philanthropists, committing to transfer over 80% of their stake to the Canva Foundation. This non-profit organization is dedicated to supporting charitable causes, aligning Canva’s immense success with meaningful societal impact. Perkins continues to lead Canva as its CEO, driving ongoing innovation and expansion within the design technology sector.