Global Executive Search for a No-Code Design Unicorn
In 2022, MitchelLake partnered with Canva, the world’s leading no-code design platform, to complete a global executive search for Canva as the company continued its rapid international expansion. The mandate was to appoint a Sydney-based Divisional General Manager, a role critical to scaling Canva’s operations while maintaining its culture of innovation and customer-first design.
For a company already recognised as a unicorn and one of Australia’s most valuable startups, identifying the right leadership talent was essential. Canva needed an experienced operator with a deep understanding of SaaS, global marketplaces, and high-growth technology ventures to lead at scale.
Appointment & Impact
MitchelLake’s executive search process combined global outreach with targeted market mapping across SaaS, online software, and no-code platforms. By aligning with Canva’s vision and values, we identified and appointed a senior executive with the leadership, commercial acumen, and people-first approach required to guide Canva through its next growth chapter.
This case study demonstrates how executive search for SaaS unicorns like Canva ensures the right leadership is in place to support expansion, innovation, and the ongoing transformation of design technology worldwide.
About Canva
Canva launched in 2013 with a mission to democratise design. Before Canva, creating professional-quality graphics required expensive software, advanced skills, and complex workflows. Today, Canva is used by over 185 million people in 190+ countries, generating over 20 billion designs annually.
The platform includes a powerful suite of features:
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Drag-and-drop no-code design tools.
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A marketplace of free and premium fonts, stock photos, and templates.
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Brand Kits for design consistency across teams.
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Collaboration tools for workplaces and classrooms.
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A global print service for professional output.
Canva’s evolution from startup to global design unicorn showcases the transformative power of no-code tools in SaaS and online marketplaces.
Partner With MitchelLake
MitchelLake has delivered leadership for some of the most successful ventures in software, SaaS, and no-code platforms. Whether it’s executive search for global SaaS Unicorns, or scaling online marketplaces, our expertise ensures companies can secure world-class leadership talent.
👉 Contact us to learn more about our experience in executive search for online software, SaaS, no-code design ventures, and global technology marketplaces.
The market for this leadership
Live MitchelLake intelligence across this sector and Oceania.
Latest signals — Canva
Partnership · Oceania
Canva →Canva announced partnership with Google Gemini to integrate its design platform, completing integrations with all major AI players (Claude, ChatGPT, Copilot, Gemini)
Partnership · Asia
Canva →Canva partnered with Andhra Pradesh government to provide visual communication tools for government school students
Capital Raising · Oceania
Canva →Robinhood Ventures Fund invested $25M in Canva as part of a broader AI-powered tech investment strategy
Product Launch · Oceania
Canva →Canva has made AI a core business focus with recent launch of Canva AI 2.0, a conversational design platform. Company is actively implementing AI Discovery Week and fostering AI experimentation culture among employees
Adjacent signals across Oceania
Strategic Hiring · Oceania
Hello →Hello hired Caroline Berdayes, a WPP production executive, as CFO & COO
Product Launch · Oceania
Shopfully →Shopfully (retail media platform) commissioned research revealing strong Australian consumer demand for local products, with visibility and access identified as primary barriers. The insight suggests opportunity to enhance platform capabilities to connect local producers with mainstream grocery shoppers.
Layoffs · Oceania
Stuff →Stuff, a New Zealand media company, has proposed job cuts as the local media industry continues to face structural challenges.
Product Launch · Oceania
Substack →Substack launched a new tool that allows readers to estimate how much of a newsletter was written by AI, signaling a shift toward transparency around AI-assisted content.
Product Launch · Oceania
Vevo →Vevo has launched a new nostalgia-based advertising targeting capability within its Vevo Evolve platform, enabling advertisers to purchase ad placements against culturally significant music video moments based on research showing emotional resonance drives performance.
Product Launch · Oceania
La Trobe University →La Trobe University launched the AI Business Studio, a pilot program designed to help 1000+ SMEs adopt AI in business operations. The program pairs university students with partner organisations on 10-week AI adoption projects, with an initial pilot of 21 students across three partner organisations including Insurgence.