InBev selects Fernando as Anheuser-Busch Chief

InBev selects Fernando as Anheuser-Busch Chief

InBev SA named AmBev Chief Executive Luiz Fernando Edmond to lead North American operations after the Belgian brewer's $52 billion merger with Anheuser-Busch Cos.

David A. Peacock, now Anheuser-Busch's vice president of marketing, will become president of Anheuser-Busch and will manage all U.S. operations of the combined company, including the brand management of Budweiser and Bud Light.

Both men will be based in St. Louis, which will be the North American headquarters of the combined company.

Anheuser-Busch's shareholders will vote on the merger Nov. 12; InBev's shareholders have approved the deal.

Edmond has been InBev's Zone President Latin America North and chief of Brazilian brewer Companhia de Bebidas das Americas (ABV), or AmBev, since 2005. Ambev is part of InBev, which formed in 2004 when Belgium's Interbrew took control of AmBev in an $11 billion cash-and-stock deal.

He will be replaced by Joao Castro Neves, InBev's zone president for Latin America South, and zone president for North America. Bernardo Pinto Paiva will move from Canada to Argentina to become zone president of Latin America South, replacing Joao.