Creative Events & Conferences

YG23 Co-Host
Verònica Fuerte

Verònica Fuerte, Founder and Creative Directress of Hey, is a graphic designer based in Barcelona. Before founding Hey in 2007, she worked on various design projects, specializing in branding, illustration, and art direction, which laid the foundation for her studio. Hey quickly gained recognition for its unique and highly recognizable style, characterized by the use of vibrant colors and bold combinations. Under Verònica’s leadership, the studio has collaborated with both major brands and local businesses, delivering visually striking solutions across multiple media. Her innovative approach and strong vision have earned Hey international acclaim, with the studio’s work frequently featured in prestigious design publications and exhibitions. Verònica continues to push the boundaries of graphic design at Hey, merging playful elements with sophisticated aesthetics to create compelling visual narratives able to transcend the passage of time. She is also a member of AGI (Alliance Graphique Internationale) and a Advisory Board Member of Canva, further solidifying her influence and contributions to the global design community. Her dedication and creativity have established her as a significant figure in the contemporary design landscape.

YG23 Co-Host
Alex Center

Alex Center is a Brooklyn-based designer and founder of the award-winning branding company CENTER known for building bold, distinct and culturally relevant brands. Before launching his own studio in 2018, Alex spent a decade at The Coca-Cola Company, where he served as Design Director and helped shape the global identities of vitaminwater, Powerade, and smartwater. Over his career, Alex designed packaging that has been in the hands of millions, built multiple billion-dollar brands, and given keynote talks all around the world. Today, he and the team at CENTER are playing at the center of culture, collaborating with icons like Apple, New Balance and Coinbase, breakout startups like Kin Euphorics, Magic Spoon and Liquid Death and creating disruptive new to world brands like United Sodas of America, Ayoh! and Bero. He’s also a mentor at the SVA Masters in Branding program and co-host of the internationally acclaimed podcast Front & Center. In his shrinking personal time, he enjoys watching trashy reality television, traveling with his wife Jackie and finding reasons to believe that this is the year for the Knicks or the Mets.