Consumer >> CEO Interviews >> January 19, 2004
JAKE SHAPIRO is Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Knightsbridge Fine Wines, Inc., an internationally-based wine
producer and distributor. He has reviewed or visited almost 100 wineries
in four continents in his quest to build the world's best wine company.
He is charged with developing, sourcing and negotiating acquisitions and
strategic partnerships for Knightsbridge. He also guides corporate
strategy, ensuring that the firm stays on track to meet its long-term
goals. Prior to joining Knightsbridge, Mr. Shapiro was President of JS
Capital LLC, an East Coast-based finance boutique specializing in
mergers and acquisitions, and public corporate finance. Since its
founding, JS Capital has been engaged in and has financed a variety of
industry non-specific companies including software production firms in
Pakistan, fiber optic systems in Mexico, and five star European hotel
owners and operators. JS Capital has built a strong presence in both
apparel and mass media sectors, and maintains a number of Hollywood
celebrity clients. Mr. Shapiro began his finance career in 1992 working
in the back offices of the investment banking firm of M.H. Meyerson &
Company. While attending night school at the Rutgers University Graduate
School of Business for his MBA, Mr. Shapiro quickly rose in the ranks
from working in the operations division of M.H. Meyerson to becoming one
of the youngest senior traders, where he executed institutional orders
on behalf of Wall Street's biggest firms, including Goldman Sachs,
Merrill Lynch, and Credit Suisse First Boston. Mr. Shapiro attended
Rutgers University, where he completed his studies in three years and
received departmental and collegiate honors. Profile
Fine Wines and a picture of the things you are doing at the present
time?
Mr. Shapiro: We set out to build a global wine
