EQ3 Leadership

Peter Tielmann, EQ3 Founder, President & CEO of Palliser Furniture

Peter Tielmann is the President & CEO of Palliser Furniture, the largest residential furniture manufacturer in Canada and parent company of EQ3, which Tielmann founded in 2002 after identifying a void in modern furniture at mid-level pricing. 

Tielmann’s vision for EQ3 was to build on Palliser’s strong tradition of craftsmanship, attention to detail and customization and deliver these qualities to customers seeking clean, modern designs. EQ3 was launched in the wholesale market in 2001 at the High Point Market in North Carolina, North America’s largest furniture market. The line was an immediate success.

Palliser is a family-owned company founded in 1944 and headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada, and manufactures and distributes upholstery furniture as well as wood and composite products in Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, Vietnam, China and the US. With a longstanding reputation for attention to detail, quality, and design, under Tielmann’s leadership, Palliser has advanced technology, manufacturing, and logistics, earning it a leading position in the industry.

As an entrepreneurial leader, Peter has been involved in various startups both in the for profit and not-for-profit sectors. Peter holds a degree in Architecture, and a graduate degree in Business Economics, both from Germany. He is a member of the Manitoba Business Council and serves on several boards, including the Michaëlle Jean Foundation, which was founded by the former Governor General of Canada, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development.

Mark Letain, President of EQ3

Mark Letain is the President of EQ3 Ltd, Canada’s premier designer, manufacturer, and retailer of furniture and home goods. With a reputation for excellence built on two decades of providing high-quality design and service to the Canadian market, EQ3 recently expanded operations within the US, increasing the reach of its unique perspective, timeless designs, and impeccable customer experience in North America.

In 2006 Mark joined EQ3 as General Manager for Upholstery and was responsible for the bottom- line performance and operations of EQ3’s upholstery business segment which included facilities in Mexico and Winnipeg. During the 2008-2009 recession Mark delegated operational responsibilities to a successor and assisted the then CFO with the oversight and administration of the organization’s finances. ​ In 2010 Mark became COO/ CFO of EQ3 and remained in that role until 2016 when the company brought in a senior financial leader.

In 2017 Mark was appointed President of EQ3 and remains in that position until the present day. Over his 14 years at EQ3, Mark has led the brand to enormous growth, including the expansion in the US in 2019. He has also led the company to continue to innovate in its approach to upholstery and customization, providing a highly personalized customer experience that delivers high-quality and long-lasting products that suit the unique needs of each customer. Maintaining a personalized customer experience as the brand scales up has been a hallmark of EQ3’s success and a key aim of Mark’s vision for the company.

A passionate advocate for Canadian design, Mark’s leadership at EQ3 has prioritized developing products that are thoughtfully designed and built by Canada’s leading artisans and designers. This commitment to quality also extends through the partnerships that EQ3 has developed with leading international brands under Mark’s tenure, including Herman Miller, Marimekko, and Vitra.

Mark is a native of Ontario, Canada, and lives in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where EQ3 is headquartered. He holds an MBA in Supply Chain Management from Penn State and earned his bachelor’s degree at the University of Ottawa. ​ He also holds a degree in chemical engineering technology, focusing on pulp and paper, at Sault College Ontario and has a CMA accounting designation. Mark is an avid skier and jujitsuka.

Enri Tielmann, Vice President of Product Development, EQ3

As Vice President of Product Development at EQ3, Enri Tielmann guides and shapes the design program of EQ3, ensuring continuity across the brand, forging new design partnerships and oversing creative teams across all product categories -- case goods, accessories, and upholstery -- creating a lifestyle offering for complete rooms. ​ Enri’s philosophy of product design prioritizes function and elegance while allowing for individuality and customization, embodied by the balanced proportion and classic, timeless approach of the Ban table and the architectural lines paired with a combination of structure and soft surfaces of the Oma sofa collection. 

Over 10 years at EQ3, Enri has worked across various product categories and was instrumental in the launch of the brand’s e-commerce platform. Enri oversees the product development efforts of the entire team, pushing for ever-evolving practices of sustainable design and packaging, from the creation of well-made, timeless objects that can last a lifetime, to careful material sourcing, optimization of fabric cutting yields and flat packed shipping. Guiding a brand with a strong expertise and history in upholstery, Enri has led EQ3 to challenge industry standards and continue to innovate and create new upholstery techniques with each new piece. 

Enri holds a BA in Business and Economy from the Universitaet Stuttgart Hohenheim.

Liana Thomson, Accessories Product Developer, EQ3

Liana is EQ3’s Accessories Product Developer where she leads design for the brand’s tabletop, decorative, and other accessories. In addition to her role in developing accessories for EQ3, Liana leads the packaging task force, working to ensure EQ3’s packaging standards are eco-friendly ensuring products offerings are sustainably enhanced and consciously created. Liana holds a Bachelor of Environmental Design from the University of Manitoba with a focus in architecture. While at the University of Manitoba, Liana edited the Faculty of Architecture’s annual journal and contributed to the City of Winnipeg’s annual Arts + Architecture Competition On Ice.