Born in the USSR, Yanek Iontef moved to Israel at the age of 16 and studied graphic design at Bezalel Academy of Art and Design, Jerusalem. He worked as a graphic designer in London and Tel Aviv.

In 1994 he established Fontef Type Foundry. He works in Tel Aviv as a type designer, producing a range of Hebrew and Latin fonts, both retail and custom. Since 1995 he has taught typography and type design at the Bezalel Academy in Jerusalem and Shenkar College of Engineering and Design in Ramat Gan.