Diego Lo Prete Named President, Executive Team Expanded
SAN FRANCISCO — Feb. 12, 2015 —The San Francisco Wine Exchange (SFWE), America’s oldest independent wine marketing and sales agency and a leading importer of fine wine, today announces new ownership. SFWE has been acquired by Universal Wine Wholesalers, a company owned by Jose Maria Barale, a prominent leader in the Brazilian energy sector with holdings in the Argentine wine industry, and by Diego Lo Prete, a global wine management executive who has also taken the helm of SFWE as president. The transition follows SFWE founder Hugh Thacher’s December retirement. Thacher will remain an integral part of the company as a member of its advisory board.
Additionally, the SFWE has expanded its executive team, welcoming David Maib, director of national sales and Olivier Portet, director of portfolio management and marketing. Maib and Portet will work alongside Lo Prete and the SFWE’s portfolio of 15 wineries to expand U.S. distribution and drive company growth.
“The San Francisco Wine Exchange has built a portfolio of authentic wine brands that showcase incredible talents over the past 40 years. The company has been part of weaving wine into American culture, and I could not be more pleased to partner with our new team and our wineries to take them to the next level,” said Diego Lo Prete. “We are at a pivotal point of growth in American wine history and our new management team is excited to lead the next generation of SFWE.”
Lo Prete was recruited by outgoing president Hugh Thacher as his successor and has served as the company’s general manager for the past year. He has more than 20 years of management experience. Most recently, Lo Prete served as head of global marketing and communications at Grupo Codorniu in Barcelona, where he was responsible for marketing efforts in more than 85 countries and helped refocus the business to reduce dependence on the Spanish market. Previously, he spent seven years at Ernest & Julio Gallo Winery, where he managed many of the company’s global brands and a large share of the imported wine portfolio. Prior to joining E. & J. Gallo, he served as marketing director at Grupo Peñaflor in Argentina, the 10th largest wine producer in the world. Lo Prete, before focusing his career on the wine business, spent six years leading marketing initiatives in the CPG business as marketing director for Dannon’s water business in Argentina and Parmalat.
Lo Prete is a graduate of the University of Business and Social Sciences in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He holds a master’s degree in integrated marketing communications from Northwestern University and a wine and spirits diploma from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust in London.
Jose Maria Barale is the owner and principal of Grupo Alubar, a leading Brazilian-based company in the energy industry specializing in aluminum conductors and renewable energy solutions. Alubar has been awarded the “best employer of choice” award in Brazil, showcasing Barale’s commitment to developing sustainable and equitable companies. Barale furthermore developed a passion for the wine business, satiated by investing in Argentina’s Andeluna and Finca Martha Wineries in 2003, and will further leverage this industry experience at SFWE. Always dedicated to growing the next generation of leaders, Mr. Barale has also taught marketing management at universities around the world.
Bringing a focus on wine industry sales experience, David Maib has joined SFWE as director of sales. Maib most recently served as director of national sales and marketing for Gruet Winery, where he led all strategic marketing and sales efforts for the New Mexico based producer. Prior, Maib led sales for Negociants USA. Maib received a bachelor’s degree from UCLA.
Portet, a California native, comes from a long winemaking tradition, as his family has been in the business for 10 generations. During his more than 15 years of international wine sales and marketing experience, he has built a reputation for relationship building, collaboration, creativity and execution. Prior to joining SFWE, he served as director of regional accounts at Frederick Wildman, where he launched brands, managed distribution networks and designed targeted marketing programs. He was previously national sales manager at Polaris Wines and director of European imports at Wilson Daniels. Portet received a bachelor’s degree from Santa Clara University and an MBA from Thunderbird School of Global Management.
About The San Francisco Wine Exchange
The San Francisco Wine Exchange, founded in 1975 by Hugh Thacher, is the oldest independent national wine marketing agency in the United States. SFWE oversees a national network of regional sales personnel from its headquarters in San Francisco, California. The company represents a highly reputable portfolio of family-owned wineries from California, Washington, Chile, New Zealand and Argentina. For more information about SFWE, please call 415-546-0484 or visit www.SFWE.com.
