Brazilian billionaire investor Marcel Telles, a key figure in the buyout firm 3G Capital Inc., has executed a significant step by transferring his substantial stake in Anheuser-Busch InBev SA (AB InBev) to his son, Max. Valued at around $6.1 billion, Telles’ stake in AB InBev underscores his pivotal role in the company’s growth through strategic deals alongside partners Jorge Paulo Lemann and Carlos Sicupira.
The 73-year-old billionaire is entrusting his entire stake to Max, who will also assume his position at the entity controlling the investment. This development was disclosed in a Tuesday filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 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 vital role in creating Ambev in 1999.
AB InBev, known for iconic brands like Budweiser, Stella Artois, and Michelob Ultra, emerged in 2008 following mergers with Belgium’s Interbrew and Anheuser-Busch.
Experiencing a 9% increase in 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.
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. 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.
