EXECUTIVE CREATIVE DIRECTOR

CANVA, SYDNEY AUSTRALIA

Cat van der Werff is the Executive Creative Director at Canva, where she leads a global inhouse creative agency of more than 120 creatives across brand, campaigns, performance, and production, all in service of Canva’s mission to empower the world to design. She joined Canva in 2018 as the company’s first brand designer, bringing more than 15 years of global brand-building experience. Since then, she’s helped shape the creative direction for some of Canva’s most iconic campaigns, including Love Your Work, Put Imagination to Work, and Canva Create. With a focus on designing for scale, building high-trust creative teams & crafting a brand the world genuinely loves, Cat believes in design as a force for good.

Between now and 2030, which specific skills, technologies, or priorities will matter most in shaping the future of graphic design?

The most critical skill for designers in 2030 won’t be mastering the latest tool. It will be imagination. The ability to envision what doesn’t yet exist, make unexpected connections, and do courageous new things. AI can generate and optimize, but it can’t imagine a better future or connect us as humans. As designers we have this incredible opportunity to use our creativity and craft of visual communication to inspire collective action and shape a better world. As Melanie, Canva’s founder, says: “Everything that exists today was once imagined.

What principles guide your design decisions?

I believe design’s greatest power is as an equalizer – making ideas understood by everyone, no matter their background, education, or influence. That means always putting myself in the shoes of someone who isn’t a designer by craft. I actually test my creative work on my mum to see if she understands what I’m communicating. I call it the “mum test,” and it keeps me honest. I trust intuition and expert judgement, but I always remind myself that we’re rarely designing for other designers. Design should simplify complexity and help people feel and understand something clearly.

What trend do you think the industry is overvaluing – and one it’s overlooking? 

What’s overvalued? Aesthetic perfectionism over real impact. We celebrate beautiful work that wins awards but doesn’t solve problems or connect with audiences. Design that impresses other designers but fails the “mum test” isn’t fulfilling its purpose. Great design should communicate clearly and create meaningful change, not just look good in a portfolio. What’s overlooked? Opening up the gates to design. Some believe giving “non-creatives” access to design tools devalues their craft. What I see is it frees experts to focus on complex, strategic work while making visual communication accessible to everyone. More people creating unlocks new perspectives, collaboration, and greater impact.

How do you stay relevant in an industry that changes so quickly?

Honestly, I think the question gets it backward. Relevance isn’t about keeping pace with change, that’s just chasing trends. Short-term thinking and the limited view your algorithm feeds you won’t keep you relevant for long. Real relevance is built over a lifetime, creating work that connects with future generations.