GC Influencers
Most Influential GCs - Global-wide
John J Blood of Anheuser-Busch InBev
AB InBev’s John Blood demonstrated his deft touch in major transactional mandates when he, in his capacity as vice president of legal and corporate affairs, helped to successfully close the brewery giant’s mammoth USD107 billion acquisition of rival SABMiller alongside then general counsel Sabine Chalmers and the wider legal team. Among the department’s many challenging tasks in bringing the deal to a conclusion were competition and antitrust inquiries brought by global regulators, shareholder issues and litigation brought by consumers seeking to enjoin the merger. Blood, who was promoted to general counsel in 2017, now faces the challenge of integrating the various operational functions of the two multinational brewing companies, while also handling the company’s legal and company secretarial matters. This includes advising on AB InBev’s entry into the spirits market through its purchase of Cutwater Spirits, its partnership with Canadian marijuana producer Tilray to produce cannabis-infused drinks in Canada and its joint venture with Anadolu Efes to bolster its operations in Russia. Commentators say: “John is an exceptionally good general counsel, especially when you think about how sprawling his company is.”