Brazilian billionaire, Marcel Telles hands over a $6.1bn stake in the world’s biggest brewer to son

In a significant move toward succession planning, Brazilian billionaire investor Marcel Telles, co-founder of the buyout firm 3G Capital Inc, has taken a major step by transferring his stake in brewer Anheuser-Busch InBev SA to his son, Max.

Valued at approximately $6.1 billion, based on Bloomberg’s estimations, Telles’ stake in AB InBev reflects his instrumental role in building the company through strategic deals alongside his partners, Jorge Paulo Lemann and Carlos Sicupira.

As part of the transition, the 73-year-old billionaire is transferring his entire stake to Max, who will also assume his position at the entity controlling the investment.

This development was disclosed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission on Tuesday.

What you should know

Telles, the youngest member of the billionaire trio, previously managed Brazil’s Brahma after its acquisition by their former investment bank Garantia in the late 1980s and played a key role in the creation of Ambev in 1999.

• AB InBev, renowned for brands like Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Michelob Ultra, emerged in 2008 following mergers with Belgium’s Interbrew and Anheuser-Busch.
• Having seen a 9% increase in his wealth this year, totalling $10.7 billion according to Bloomberg’s wealth index, Telles has been gradually transitioning his holdings to his children.
• In 2017, he donated shares in Brazilian real estate firm Sao Carlos Empreendimentos e Participacoes SA to his sons Max and Christian.

About Marcel Telles

Telles and his billionaire partners primarily own their AB InBev stake through the entity BRC, holding a 50% stake in Stichting AK Netherlands, which, in turn, owns 33.47% of AB InBev.

Marcel Telles, a shareholder in Anheuser-Busch InBev, holds significant wealth derived from a 5% stake in the world’s largest beer maker.

• Alongside partners Jorge Lemann and Carlos Alberto Sicupira, Telles controls 3G Capital, an investment firm based in New York.
• The trio also has stakes in Kraft Heinz and Restaurant Brands International. The article further details Telles’s wealth calculation based on disclosed stakes and investments in various entities.
• The valuation considers 3G’s stakes in Kraft Heinz and Restaurant Brands, as well as dividends from Ambev, used for acquisitions.