Brian Djernes

EY World Entrepreneur Of The Year™ Class of 2022, Denmark
Brian Djernes, Owner of Cane-line

Furniture made to last: how Brian Djernes revived quality craftsmanship in the pursuit of sustainability.

Brian Djernes has an extraordinary talent for doing business — one that has seen him turn a small Danish furniture company into a global market leader in high-end sustainable garden furniture. 

At the age of 26, Brian invested his savings to become Co-owner and CEO of Cane-line, a small furniture business. His vision was to build a company with a sustainability focus, creating beautiful and durable outdoor furniture. 

With a particular skill for product development, Brian changed the strategy to produce long-lasting Scandinavian pieces that can be dismantled and easily recycled. 

In the last five years, Cane-line has more than doubled its profits offering outdoor furniture, outdoor kitchens and other products. Now a global brand, the company has stock and showrooms in several European countries, Australia and the United States. It is hoping to expand into the Asian market next.

Under Brian’s leadership, the business secured the supply chain, built up its own salesforce and distribution channels, took ownership of the design and eventually began selling directly to the consumer online — decisions that allowed him to have more control.

The company factory in Indonesia runs to exceptionally high standards. More than 800 employees are provided with good working conditions, while raw materials are sourced from certified sustainable plantations. At the same time, Cane-line contributes to the local Indonesian community through funding projects that support schools and pay study fees for orphans in Jakarta universities.

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