President - Planeta Estate

Francesca Planeta was born in Palermo into a family committed for seventeen generations to innovation in agriculture and is the daughter of Diego Planeta, one of the main architects of the Sicilian wine renaissance.
After a classical diploma and two master's degrees in corporate communication - in London and Milan - she began his career in the marketing division of Nestlè. In 1995, she returned to Sicily to join his father and cousins Alessio and Santi and to take over the family wine business: as marketing and communication manager, she brought his experience and entrepreneurial approach to the work of internationalisation and affirmation of Sicilian wines in the world.
Over the years, Francesca's work has focused on the management and development of the company's real estate assets and the entire hospitality sector. Through Planeta Estate, in 2009 she inaugurated La Foresteria in Menfi, a 14-room residence that since 2021 has been part of the Ecoluxury, Retreats of the world network and whose restaurant, led by chef Angelo Pumilia, has won several awards including the prestigious "Three Hats" from the L''Espresso "I ristoranti e i vini d''Italia" guide. In spring 2024, the Foresteria Wine Resort was awarded the first Michelin Chiave, the new chapter of the Guide dedicated to the best Made in Italy hospitality.
Planeta Estate also operates in Palermo, where in 2017 nine flats and four suites were converted into residences open to the public at the historic family palazzo built at the beginning of the 20th century, and at the company's production sites in Menfi, Vittoria, Noto, Etna and Capo Milazzo, where wine-tasting itineraries and artistic-cultural events dedicated to wine and non-wine enthusiasts are offered.
In 2023, she conceived and inaugurated the Insula Beach Club, an exclusive retreat in the golden dunes of Lido Fiori, on the Agrigento coast, characterised by a strong approach to sustainability, an expression of the attention to the environment, people and territory and an evolved concept of doing business that the Planeta family has been pursuing for almost five centuries. This will be followed in spring 2024 by the opening of Country House, a residence in the Menfi countryside with 10 rooms.
A firm believer in the potential of wine as a vehicle for tourism, Francesca has built a rich hospitality system around the farm, ranging from receptivity to catering, from experiences such as cookery courses to Planeta wine tastings, in a path of continuous enhancement of Sicilian excellence and the Planeta brand as an ambassador of culture and innovation in the world.
In March 2024, Francesca, together with her cousins Alessio and Santi Planeta won the title of "Wine family of the year" during the 18th edition of the Meininger Awards Excellence in Wine & Spirit. In the same year, it was awarded the prestigious Compasso D'Oro Career Prize by the Industrial Design Association, the oldest and most authoritative design award in the world. An award that rewarded Francesca's career, as well as her ability to conceive design as a tool to enhance the history and culture of Sicily. She is also a board member of the Comitato Leonardo and sits on the boards of the Unione Italiana Vino and the La Sicilia di Ulisse association. In addition, in March 2025, Francesca Planeta was elected President of the Inycon Foundation, Centre for Innovation, Training, Promotion and Territorial Development of the Municipality of Menfi.