About Us

Alejandra Briceño

Graphic Designer

Alejandra was born in Venezuela, Maracaibo. After she finished her degree in Communications, she decided to travel to the US and started her associate degree in Graphic Design in Gainesville, Florida. During her studies in Gainesville, she gained work experience in developing brands and graphic elements. With Ethica Wines since 2019.

Alessandro Angelini

VP North America & National Key Account Manager

Joined the wine industry in 1996 as Export Director for a large Italian winery and has worked in the wine export business since. His focus territory is the US and Canadian markets, where he has extensively and frequently traveled acquiring deep knowledge from both markets. With Ethica Wines since the very beginning.

Alessandro Malpassi

Regional Sales Manager Northeast

Alessandro was born and raised in Rimini, a seaside resort in Emilia Romagna. Like many other locals, he grows up being passionate about the hospitality industry and this passion lent itself to professional opportunities in both Italy and other European countries. Fueled with his knowledge and experiences, Alessandro followed his heart and moved to the US where he built a solid professional network for himself in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City. In September 2017 after 25 years in the restaurant business, he decided to follow his passion for wine. With Ethica Wines since 2017.

Alice Barera

Regional Sales Manager Mid-West

Alice was born in Piemonte and studied Food and Wine Management at the University of Bologna Business School. After an internship experience at Villa Sparina, she moved to the US in 2016 to work for Ethica Wines, first in the Marketing department and from 2019 as Regional Sales Manager for the Midwest. Based in Chicago. With Ethica Wines since 2016.

Anastasia Tarasova

Marketing Director

Originally from Moscow, Russia. Lived in Bologna, Italy for 2 years. With more than 10 years of trade and consumer marketing experience, Anastasia is now passionate about innovating new ways of marketing in the wine industry and how storytelling and targeted messaging create a business-changing scene for wine brands. Anastasia has worked with global brands, including Bacardi rums, Martini vermouth, and sparkling wines. Helped deliver brand-performance targets in Eastern European markets, applied global strategies, adapted to target markets and drove effective local brand activations. With Ethica Wines since 2019.

Carolina Cossu

Regional Sales Manager Southeast

Carolina grew up surrounded by wine, as her father produces wine since 2005. After several years of experience in the fashion industry, she moved to the United States to reach new challenges and to share her love for Italian spirits and wine in a new market. First, she worked in the distillery industry selling Grappa, then she followed the steps of her father within the wine industry. She has since grown to become not only the Regional Sales Manager for the South East of the United States but also has received her level 2 WSET. With her love for wine and the industry propelling her, she is now studying for her level 3. With Ethica Wines since 2017.

Damiano Sorato

Sales Director Eastern Region

Damiano was born and raised in Veneto, close to Venice, from a family working in the restaurant business. He grew up surrounded by wine and food at a young age. Wine has always been his passion and, after finishing hospitality school, he got a master's at Italian sommelier association in 2008. He worked as a sommelier in hospitality all around the world for 15 years, included several Michelin starred restaurants in Italy, the USA, UK, and Switzerland. In 2015, he left the restaurant business to focus 100% on the wine business. With Ethica Wines since 2015.

Dario Bergamini

Regional Sales Manager Japan & South Korea

Dario was born in Trieste and after completing studies in Oriental Languages in Venice, he went to the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies for a one year exchange program. Upon returning to Italy he had his first job in the wine industry working for a winery in the Chianti Classico area in Tuscany. This thirst for knowledge led him to undertake studies through The WSET then graduate with a Level 4 Diploma in 2014. After the experience in Tuscany he moved back to Japan, where he currently lives with his family.  Following several years of cooperation with a Japanese importer of Italian wines, he eventually joined Ethica Wines in 2020.

Diego Todone

Regional Sales Manager Southeast Asia

Diego was born in Vicenza, right in the middle between the Valdobbiadene Prosecco and the Valpolicella areas. During his studies in International Economics conducted between Italy, Spain and South Korea he understood he wanted to live abroad and moved to Thailand in 2013. Since 2016 in the wine business as Brand Manager for leading importers and distributors. With Ethica Wines since 2020.

Eleonora Rabino

Treasury Specialist & Directors' Assistant

Eleonora was born near Rome, grew up in Sicily, moved to Friuli and attended university in Venice, where she majored in Japanese language and economics. During her studies, which brought her to the USA and Japan, she has never abandoned her passion for wine, following her dad’s footsteps. . With Ethica Wines since 2019.

Elisa Calvello

Trade Marketing Manager

Elisa earned a Bachelor of Arts in Foreign Languages (English, French and Russian) degree from Genoa University and a Master of Science degree in Strategic Communication from Columbia University in New York where she has been planning and implementing successful brand marketing communication strategies in on-trade for premium brands since 2014. With Ethica Wines since 2019.

Emanuele Santacà

District Manager NYC

Emanuele was born in Veneto, between the Prosecco Area and the Valpolicella, where his family has a vineyard and since he was a kid September was the month of the harvest. He started very young working as Sommelier and he moved to Ireland to share his passion for wine. In the green Island, he worked for one of the oldest wine merchants in the world call Mitchell and Son. He studies wines in different countries and is certified WSET level 2 and 3. With Ethica Wines since 2019.

Francesco Ganz

Chief Executive Officer North America & Asia Pacific

Born and raised in the Veneto Dolomites, where he fell in love with the beer and wine industry. After many years of work experience and leading several key projects in this industry across Italy and later worldwide, Francesco continued to he's business endeavors in the USA. As the founder of Ethica Wines, his contributions are key in Ethica's success for the US, Canada, and the Asia Pacific markets. With Ethica Wines since the very beginning.

Gabriela Bakotova

POs & Invoicing Specialist

Gabriela was born in Moravia in the Czech Republic, where she grew up with her family. According to family tradition, she graduated from Hospitality School. After several years of experience in the Hospitality sector as well as in Beverage Distribution and Logistics Agency in Italy and the UK, she moved to Miami with her family. With Ethica Wines since 2015.

Gianluca La Venuta

Regional Sales Manager Pacific

Gianluca was born and raised in Palermo, Sicily. His academic experiences, first in International Relations and then in Wine Export Management, brought him to Bologna, Birmingham, and Trento, giving him the chance to explore different realities and gradually enter the wine business. He is now facing a new challenging adventure as Regional Sales Manager for Australia and New Zealand. With Ethica Wines since 2017.

Giovanni Oliva

Founder & Managing Director Asia-Pacific

Giovanni was born and grew up in a tiny village not far from Venice. Just before he graduated from the Ca’ Foscari University of Venice, Giovanni continued to cultivate his great passion for wine and obtained a Sommelier Certificate. He also completed a Master in “Wine Marketing and Winery Management”. In the same year, he started his career in the wine business, working as Export Manager for famous Prosecco producers. In 2007 he moved to Singapore, where he still lives with his family, having accepted a job as Sales & Marketing Director for Asia for a private Consortium of family-run and owned Italian Wineries. In 2014, Giovanni decided to start his own company together with our CEO Francesco: Ethica Wines Asia Pacific. With Ethica Wines since 2014.

Lara Lona

Purchase Manager

Lara was born and raised in-between the mountains of the Trentino region and lives in Valle di Cembra. Surrounded by the wonderful hills of vineyards, she naturally became passionate about the food and wine industry, loving the beauty of nature. Later, her extraordinary organizational skills brought her to the Purchase departments of wine companies, including Ethica Wines. With Ethica Wines since 2013.

Linshu Hu

China Business Developer

Linshu was born in Wuhan China, in the heart of the China Mainland, after high school she went to France to study, where she studied tourism and hotel management and began her wine studies in Bordeaux. It was in France where she experienced the wine business profoundly. With Ethica Wines since 2018.

Marion Pfitscher

Digital Marketing Specialist

Marion was born in Alto Adige, in the heart of the Dolomites, where her family owns a small winery. The harvest was (and is still) her favorite task of the year. Her academic career brought her for several years to Austria, the Netherlands, New York, and Bologna, following in the footsteps of her family with a Bachelor in Tourism Management and a Master's degree in Food & Wine Management. With Ethica Wines since 2018.

Nicola Ermilani

Business Analyst

Nicola is a world traveler. Born in Vicenza, a city a couple of hours from Venice, he moved to the States when he was 18. In the US he studied Business Administration, with a focus on Management Information System. His uncle owns a winery in Tuscany, he would visit during the summer and learn about winemaking. Thanks to Ethica he can now combine his love for wine with his passion for information management. With Ethica Wines since 2019.

Orazio Campoli

Regional Sales Manager Northwest

Orazio was born in Vicenza, Italy, but spent much of his life in Milan, London, New York, and Los Angeles. In those locations, he was always close to many hospitality venues and restaurants. He took advantage of the opportunities to expand his culinary and beverage knowledge in the hospitality field, including a degree in Professional Culinary Arts and becoming an Italian Wine Ambassador. Currently, in Portland, Oregon Orazio is always looking forward to being open to explore, learn new concepts and further immerse himself into the world of wine. With Ethica Wines since 2019.

Pierluigi Gaeta

District Manager Florida

Pierluigi was born and raised in Salerno in the Campania region. He grew up in the restaurant & hospitality business. After graduating from the hospitality school in Italy, he became a member of the Maitre d’Hotel association in Naples. He worked with the Cruise lines for several years, traveling around the globe. Then in Florida working with theme Parks, several high-profile restaurants including celebrity Chef Emeril Lagasse. He began his career in the wine business in 2001, after receiving the Sommelier certification from the Court of Master Sommelier. He has continued to work in the industry with leading Italian wine importers, managing a portfolio of 400 wines from all 20 regions of Italy. With Ethica Wines since 2020.

Paola Lena

Chief Financial Officer

Paola was born in the beautiful Tuscany. After spending her childhood surrounded by those legendary landscapes, she moved back to the small village in the Dolomites her family originally came from. Gained lots of experience in retail and distribution. With Ethica Wines since 2015.

Paolo Bressan

Sales Director Western Region

The winemaking university in Conegliano Veneto is where Paolo started his path in the wine industry. After working in the cellar for a few harvest seasons in Sicily, California, and Veneto, he decides to move to London and learn how to promote and sell wine. In 2009 Paolo met Francesco (CEO of EW) and soon after that, the idea of promoting premium Italian wines in Asia and North America was born. With Ethica Wines since the beginning as Co-founder.

Patrick La Viola

Regional Sales Manager Mountains Region

Patrick was born in Lombardia, on the southern shore of Lake Maggiore. After moving to Colorado and graduating from Colorado State University with a B.S. in Hospitality Management and Business Administration, he moved to Piemonte and obtained a Masters in Italian Wine Culture from the University of Gastronomic Sciences in Pollenzo. He worked for two prestigious wineries in the Barolo appellation before joining the Ethica Wines team. With Ethica Wines since 2019.

Roberta Picco

Regional Sales Manager Greater China

Roberta was born and raised in Piedmont and currently resides in Hong Kong. She received a master’s degree in Chinese Language and Economics from Ca' Foscari University of Venice as well as a master’s degree in Wine Culture, Communication & Management from the Gastronomic Sciences University of Pollenzo. Roberta gained significant experience in the international wine business while working for leading wineries and wine importers in Italy and Hong Kong. With Ethica Wines since 2017.

Vera Malisani

Sales Director Asia Pacific

Vera grew up harvesting, tasting wines in the most prestigious wineries and Venetian hotels, meeting people from all over the world; hence her passion for wine, food, and traveling. She studied simultaneous interpreting for the European Union and got a sommelier master's degree. Living in the UK, Spain, Australia, And ASIA she, even more, realized the unique Italian biodiversity so she decided that promoting authentic Italian wine culture would be her mission no matter where her house would be. With Ethica Wines since 2014.

Veronica Zonta

Product Marketing Assistant

Veronica was born in Veneto and after obtaining a Bachelor's degree in Economics and Management in Venice, she moved to New York and had her first experience in the wine business. Back in Italy, she completed a Master's Degree in Global Entrepreneurship and she finally moved to Miami to follow her passion for the wine industry. With Ethica Wines since 2019.