Paris, Jan 15 - Anheuser-Busch InBev, the world's largest brewer, said on Thursday it aimed to open an office in New York, reflecting the importance of its U.S business and potentially affecting 89 jobs at its Belgian HQ.
ABInBev said a presence in New York would help it develop growth opportunities in the U.S, now its largest market, generating over 40 percent of the company's global earnings.
It said in a statement that the HQ in Leuven, Belgium, would remain the centre of strategic decision-making and that it will seek alternative posts for employees not required either there or in New York.
ABInBev, whose flagship brands include beers such as Budweiser, Stella Artois and Beck's, announced in December it aimed to cut 1,400 jobs in the U.S. or 6 percent of its workforce, as part of savings related to its merger plan.
The group, formed when Belgium's Inbev bought Anheuser-Busch of the U.S. for $52 billion, said it "remains fully committed to Belgium", where it would continue to employ around 2,900 people.