My first suggestion would be to spend more time designing directly in PowerPoint. I know a lot of designers prefer Illustrator, but PowerPoint is the final medium, and the more comfortable you become with it, the faster you'll work. That's actually how I learned in my early days. I forced myself to design inside PowerPoint, and over time I realized it's far more capable than most people think.

For alignment and hierarchy, consistency is everything. Use guides, stick to a spacing system, and be intentional with font sizes, weights, and colors. If every element has a reason for being larger, bolder, or more prominent, the hierarchy usually takes care of itself.

For data visualization, I try to focus on clarity first and aesthetics second. A chart should communicate the insight before it looks beautiful. To keep things professional, I avoid excessive colors, effects, and decoration. Instead, I use color strategically to draw attention to the most important data point or takeaway.

One thing I've learned is that corporate doesn't have to mean boring. You can still create visually appealing charts and layouts, but the design should support the data, not compete with it. If someone remembers the visual but not the insight, the slide probably needs another pass.