Anheuser-Busch CEO Brendan Whitworth is leaving the company at the end of November, AB In Bev said Monday.
Whitworth is departing his position as head of AB InBev’s North American business to become CEO of Equinox, a luxury fitness and lifestyle brand. AB InBev CEO Michael Doukeris, who previously ran the North American business from 2018 to 2021, will lead Anheuser-Busch as the business unit seeks a new leader.
“The strategy in the U.S. that has been in place since 2018 has resulted in an industry-leading portfolio, strong alignment with our wholesaler partners, and sustained commercial momentum,” Doukeris said in a statement. “I look forward to continuing to work alongside our world-class North America leadership team, wholesalers and partners to accelerate our current momentum.”
Whitworth initially joined AB InBev in 2013 as a global director of sales, according to his LinkedIn profile. He assumed the role of Anheuser-Busch CEO and zone president of North America in July 2021 after Doukeris was tapped to lead the global company.
The North American CEO change comes as Anheuser-Busch works to improve its U.S. manufacturing operations by investing $600 million dollars in its brewing facilities. In North America, the company has also focused on building out the Michelob Ultra and Busch Light brands.
However, as traditional beer sales decline across the industry, AB InBev has also looked to M&A as a way to build out its portfolio beyond beer. Late last year, the brand announced its plan to acquire a majority stake in party punch brand BeatBox.
Last week, AB InBev reported third-quarter revenue of $16.5 billion, a 4.9% organic increase from 2025. In the quarter, volume for beer fell 0.1%, while non-beer portfolio volume grew 4%.
