Svend Østergaard Pedersen, founder of the family-owned Top-line Group, is taking a step back, handing over the reins to the next generation and also bringing in a CEO from outside.

Svend Ø. Pedersen says: “Everything has its time, and having turned 70, I think the time has come for me to slow down a bit and, at the same time, task a strong team with continuing the positive development that the company has been undergoing for many years now. My son Bjarke and I believe we’ve found the right person to handle the day-to-day management of the group's many subsidiaries.”

Bjarke Ø. Pedersen, who is today the main shareholder in the group, says the following about the choice of Claus S. Nørregaard: “We’ve had the opportunity to assess Claus a little, as he’s been CEO of our subsidiary Canett Furniture A/S for the past 2 years. It quickly became clear to us that he has all the qualities we need as a larger company going forward. Together with the rest of the management team, I’m absolutely convinced that we’ll take the company to new heights.”

An extremely industry-experienced replacement

Claus S. Nørgaard comes with more than 30 years of management experience, and for the past 15 years, he has been head of international furniture manufacturers with production and subsidiaries in both Denmark and Eastern Europe.

"Over the past few years, I’ve got to know Svend, Bjarke and the whole team in the Top-line Group, which is characterised by its strength and competitiveness as a producer as well as its sound corporate culture and healthy values, which match mine perfectly," says Claus S. Nørgaard. He continues: "I’m both honoured and humbled in respect of the responsibility and duty that comes with continuing what Svend and Bjarke have put all their focus and energy into building".

While Bjarke Ø. Pedersen will continue to have overall responsibility for the group's global sales, his father will take over the role of working chairman of the board. Svend Ø. Pedersen will therefore remain partly at the helm of a company that has become one of Scandinavia's leaders in quality affordable furniture, employing a total of 400 people in its five subsidiaries and at its two factories in Poland.