After four years leading The High End Divisionof AB InBev, Felipe Szpigel has decided to leave his current position in order to start up a new drinks venture in the Beyond Beer space, Anheuser-Busch announced today. Just three months ago, the company decided to reorganized its High End Beer Division and split up responsibilities for the craft and the import beer segment. In this context Szpigel had to give up responsibility of import brands like Stella Artois, Hoegaarden, Estrella Jalisco, Franziskaner, and Beck’s and Shock Top. (<link news detail usa-ab-inbev-splits-up-high-end-beer-division.html>inside.beer, 11.07.2018)
Anheuser Busch’s Beyond Beer Division which will be Szpigel’s new playground includes brands such as SpikedSeltzer, a carbonated-water beverages made from fermented sugar that contain six percent alcohol, which AB bought in September 2016 (<link news detail ab-inbev-buys-spikedseltzer.html>inside.beer, 13.9.2016) or the organic caffeinated energy drink HiBall, which joined the group in July last year. (<link news detail usa-anheuser-busch-buys-organic-energy-drink-maker-hiball.html>inside.beer, 24.7.2017)
Marcelo “Mika” Michaelis will be stepping into the Szpigel’s role as president of the craft beer division, which includes companies like 10 Barrel Brewing, Blue Point Brewing, Breckenridge Brewery, Devils Backbone Brewing, Elysian Brewing, Four Peaks Brewing, Golden Road Brewing, Goose Island Beer, Karbach Brewing, Veza Sur Brewing, Virtue Cider and Wicked Weed Brewing.
Michaelis has been with AB InBev for the last 16 years. In that time, he has garnered experience across trade marketing, revenue management, sales and marketing. He has been working in the US for the last four years, most recently as a Sales Region Vice President, West Coast. He will be relocating to New York in the coming weeks and officially take over as the president of the craft business unit on January 1, 2019.
