A-B Sports Marketing Head McHugh Leaves Post After 11 Months

A-B VP/Media, Sponsorship & Activation DAN MCHUGH left the company on Monday, meaning one of the "most powerful perches in all of sports marketing now has its third inhabitant in 11 months," according to Jeremy Mullman of AD AGE. MARK WRIGHT, who had been managing A-B's Busch Media Group, will replace McHugh and will report directly to A-B VP/Marketing KEITH LEVY. McHugh assumed the role "after sports-marketing legend TONY PONTURO quit the post in November." It is unknown why McHugh is leaving the company, but his is "only the latest in a string of executive departures at A-B in the 11 months since InBev bought the company" (ADAGE.com, 10/13). Trade publication Beer Marketer's Insights, which broke the story, "speculated that the departures may be because of changes to A-B's pension plan" (STLTODAY.com, 10/13).