• November 17, 2008

Tony Ponturo--considered one of the most powerful corporate executives in the sports world--will retire at the end of this year, the brewer said on Monday.

Ponturo, 56, is vice president of global media and sports marketing and controls the biggest advertising budget in sports--a powerful enough position that BusinessWeek magazine this year ranked him No. 14 on its list of the 100 most powerful sports executives.

A replacement will not be named until after Anheuser-Busch's $52 billion takeover by Belgian rival InBev NV closes.

Ponturo is retiring on Dec. 31 after 26 years of service, Anheuser-Busch Chief Executive August Busch IV said in a Monday note to employees.--Nina Lentini