Lorne Gertner

Lorne M. Gertner is a serial entrepreneur who has cut a highly successful and idiosyncratic path through the Canadian business world. An architect by training, Gertner has, for the past 50 years, applied his passion for design, creativity, and entrepreneurship towards building companies that are at the forefront of the consumer zeitgeist. Gertner has a knack for putting together teams that have
the right measure of imagination and investment. From clothing to cannabis, he has a history of incubating unique, of-the-moment brands that epitomize style in both their products and service.
Tokyo Smoke, Cronos, BDP Quadrangle, Pink Tartan, and Toronto Fashion Week are just a few of the household names and Canadian success stories that Gertner has assisted to bring to life. In addition, Maclean’s magazine nicknamed him the “Godfather of Cannabis” for his early involvement and influence in the Canadian cannabis market. Through his private investment company, HG2, Gertner has facilitated over $1 billion of transactions and over $3 billion in value for shareholders in the real estate, cannabis, and retail industries.
For almost a decade, Gertner has been teaching at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, Landscape, and Design at the University of Toronto, imparting his strong belief in the intersection between architecture, design and entrepreneurship to make the world a better place.