Far Niente Wine Estates Announces Appointment of Shawn Conway as Chief Executive Officer
Interim CEO Carol Reber Is Named Chairman of the Board
Oakville, CA, Sept. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Far Niente Wine Estates (“Far Niente”), the iconic Napa Valley wine portfolio, today announced the appointment of industry leader Shawn Conway as its new Chief Executive Officer. Conway takes over from interim CEO Carol Reber, who will become Chairman of the Board of Directors, as previously planned.
Conway brings 30 years of leadership across prominent wine, coffee, and spirits companies. Most recently, he served as CEO of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, where he partnered with winemaking and vineyard teams to strengthen the luxury portfolio and grower relationships in Washington. Prior to this, he spent more than a decade at Peet’s Coffee in senior roles, including CEO, COO, and Chief Supply Chain Officer, thoughtfully expanding Peet’s to connect with consumers globally. Earlier in his career, he spent nearly a decade with SKYY Spirits in finance and operations.
“Few wineries can claim such a legacy of estate vineyards and steadfast commitment to craftsmanship,” said Conway. “I am honored to join the Far Niente team, whose artistry and passion continue to shape the Napa Valley story, and to build on a portfolio that has become a touchstone for wine lovers around the world.”
A strategic and perceptive leader, Conway will oversee Far Niente’s six acclaimed wineries: Far Niente, Nickel & Nickel, Bella Union, Post & Beam, EnRoute, and Dolce. He will work closely with the vineyard and winemaking teams. His focus is on cultivating growth and deepening consumer connections, while continuing a legacy rooted in vineyard stewardship, benchmark winemaking, and thoughtful innovation.
“Shawn has a deep understanding of luxury wine and will continue Far Niente’s focus on crafting wines and experiences that exceed our customers’ expectations. He has a rare combination of executive leadership in wine, spirits, and coffee,” said Nick Hartman, Equity Partner at Apax Partners, which jointly owns Far Niente with GI Partners. “We are thrilled to start the next chapter of Far Niente’s story under his care.”
Rick Magnuson, Founder and Executive Managing Director at GI Partners, said, “Shawn has distinguished himself through his track record of results, innovation, and cross-functional leadership. We are grateful for Carol’s tenure as interim CEO and for strengthening the company during a pivotal time. We look forward to her ongoing leadership as Chairman of the Board.”
As interim CEO, Reber championed initiatives advancing the company’s progress. She focused on new product development, expanding guest experiences, and growing the wholesale channel, outpacing the category in a challenging market.
“Shawn brings a sharp perspective and the kind of energy that will challenge us to think bigger,” said Reber, Chairman of Far Niente. “As I move into my new role, I look forward to supporting Shawn and the highly engaged Far Niente team. Since its founding, Far Niente has set the Napa Valley standard for excellence in winemaking and hospitality, and I know Shawn will carry this spirit forward with purpose and with heart.”
About Far Niente Wine Estates
Far Niente Wine Estates represents a legacy of excellence and stewardship that spans over 135 years, under a single vision of artistry, integrity, and community. As stewards of more than 400 acres of premier Napa and Russian River Valley vineyards, Far Niente Wine Estates’ collection of world-class wineries includes Far Niente Winery in Oakville, established in 1885; single vineyard, single varietal pioneer Nickel & Nickel; Bella Union Winery, dedicated to showcasing diverse expressions of Rutherford Cabernet Sauvignon-based blends; Post & Beam, centered on time-honored techniques used to craft its contemporary style; EnRoute, devoted to world-class Pinot Noir from the Russian River Valley; and Dolce, America’s leading late-harvest wine. Together, they offer a portfolio of wines as distinctive as the moments they celebrate, ranging in price from $50 - $500. For more information, please visit www.FarNiente.com.
About GI Partners
Founded in 2001, GI Partners is a private investment firm with over 170 employees and offices in San Francisco, New York, Dallas, Chicago, Greenwich, Scottsdale, and London. The firm has raised more than $44 billion in capital and invests on behalf of leading institutional investors around the world through its private equity, real estate, and data infrastructure strategies. The private equity strategy invests primarily in companies in the healthcare, services, and software sectors. The real estate strategy focuses primarily on technology and life sciences properties as well as other specialized types of real estate. The data infrastructure strategy invests primarily in hard asset infrastructure businesses underpinning the digital economy. For more information, please visit www.gipartners.com.
About Apax Partners
Apax Partners LLP is a leading global private equity advisory firm. For over 50 years, Apax has worked to inspire growth and ideas that transform businesses. The firm has raised and advised funds with aggregate commitments of almost $80 billion. The Apax Funds invest in companies across three global sectors: Tech, Services, and Internet/Consumer. These funds provide long-term equity financing to build and strengthen world-class companies. For further information about Apax, please visit www.apax.com. Apax is authorized and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority in the UK.
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Ashley Teplin Studio 707 for Far Niente Wine Estates 310.210.3067 ashley@studio-707.com Aimee Sands Carney Studio 707 for Far Niente Wine Estates 707.363.0179 aimee@studio-707.com
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