AB InBev Parts with Global Media VP After Sending Business to Vizeum

By Patrick Coffee 

Just over a week after concluding the global review that sent most of its $2 billion-plus media planning and buying duties to Dentsu’s Vizeum, AB InBev has parted with one of the key players in that process.

Global VP of consumer connections Andy Meldrum will be leaving the company at the end of this month after 17 years in the beverage business.

“Andy … will be leaving at the end of October to pursue other personal and career opportunities,” said a spokesperson. “We wish him well in his future endeavors and thank him for his contribution to our company.”

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The representative did not elaborate on the reasons for his departure or the aforementioned opportunities.

Meldrum was a member of the executive team leading the review, which officially launched in March and initially involved all of the “Big Six” holding groups including Havas. The biggest factor in Dentsu’s eventual win, one party told us, was price.

While Dentsu won the bulk of the work including agency of record duties for Europe, Africa and North America, MediaCom also retained some of its responsibilities in Central and South America, with Publicis retaining much of Asia and adding some more work in Columbia, Peru and Ecuador and Omnicom picking up Australia, India and Vietnam.

Meldrum was identified by a party involved in the review as one of the individuals present when the winners were announced earlier this month. He also recently transferred from London to New York. Before joining AB InBev last year in the global role, he spent more than four years with SABMiller, working as head of media and digital brand communications in Europe. He previously held similar positions at Australia’s Carlton & United Breweries of Foster’s fame as well as Diageo and P&G.

Today, AB InBev coincidentally celebrated its one-year anniversary as a “megabrewer” following the official announcement of the SABMiller merger.

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