Canva’s long-time chief technology officer (CTO) Brendan Humphreys is stepping down after more than a decade at the company, with no direct replacement named for the CTO role.
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Canva confirmed with SmartCompany that Humphreys’ 2IC, Simon Newton, will step into the role of ‘head of technology’, overseeing Canva’s global technology organisation, rather than directly replacing the CTO position. Newton, who previously worked at Google and Uber, has led Canva’s platform organisation.
Humphreys joined Canva in 2014 when the company had just a dozen employees. He took to social media to announce he would step away after 12 years and take a break from the industry. He will continue as an adviser at Canva after wrapping up in June.
“I’ve had a long and pretty wild 28 years in this industry, and it’s time for a real break,” Humphreys wrote in a LinkedIn post.
This change is understood to have been communicated internally to staff on Friday.
“Brendan has been an exceptional leader and a huge part of Canva’s journey over the last 12 years, helping build and scale one of the world’s leading technology organisations,” a Canva spokesperson told SmartCompany.
“He has played a key role in scaling Canva from a small team and an early idea into one of the most used products on the internet, while also building a world-class leadership team to take things forward. We’re incredibly thankful for his many contributions over the last decade, and we wish him all the best for a very well-deserved break.”
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The departure comes as Canva rolls out a major expansion of its AI capabilities. Earlier this month, the company unveiled its AI 2.0 update, positioning the platform as a broader work environment rather than a design tool, with features spanning conversational creation, background task automation, and integrations across workplace software.
“I’m leaving feeling very proud of the Technology Org that makes those dreams real. We’ve built world-class systems and products at a speed most companies can only dream of,” Humphreys said.
At the same time, the company is working toward a long-awaited public listing. Canva co-founder and COO Cliff Obrecht recently told Capital Brief the business is targeting an IPO in 2027, but only once its AI-driven business model has been fully established.
That shift includes a move toward AI credits as a core pricing mechanism, alongside the company’s existing subscription model.
Humphreys also pointed to the company’s position as it continues to evolve.
“In an industry defined by relentless change, that culture has kept us ahead. We’ve navigated every challenge, and we’re in a strong position to keep doing that in the AI era.”
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