Marcel Telles hands son Max his $6.1 billion stake in AB InBev

Telles and his partners Jorge Paulo Lemann and Carlos Sicupira, who together founded the private equity firm 3G Capital, own around a third of AB InBev. Telles’s move means Max Van Hoegaerden Herrmann Telles will now be a key player in the future of the embattled drinks brand.

The trio 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, according to the company’s website. 

Telles’ stake alone in the Belgian brewer—known for brands like Bud Light and Stella Artois—is worth a whopping $6.1 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index, and now lies in the hands of his youngest son, Max. 

According to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission, the shares were transferred on 15 December. And not only did Max inherit billions over the festive break, but also his father’s voting powers at the company.

“Max Van Hoegaerden Herrmann Telles thereby replaced his father as one of the individuals holding joint ultimate control over BRC, together with Carlos Alberto da Veiga Sicupira and Jorge Paulo Lemann,” the filing notes. 

The company may need a level head at the table.

Last year AB InBev found itself in a heated culture war when a sponsorship with transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney went awry.

An Instagram post by the TikTok star promoting Bud Light attracted backlash and calls for a boycott from conservatives, following which AB InBev disavowed the campaign.

That sparked criticism from the LGBTQ+ community for the brewer’s lack of support for Mulvaney after the fallout. The controversy resulted in a decline in the sale of its lager and lost Bud Light the status of America’s top-selling beer. 

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