Portuguese is the Vice-President of Marketing of the Michelob ULTRA brand in New York

Access to the world of superstars from professional sport, music and movies is unattainable to the vast majority of mere mortals. However, to the Portuguese Ricardo Marques, 43, vice-president of Marketing of one of the multinational InBev’s brands, in New York, it is his work that gets him close to celebrities.

Since he joined the giant, responsible for more than 400 beverage brands around the world (Budweiser, Stela Artois, Michelob, Corona, Skol…), with annual sales of roughly 15 billion dollars, Marques met singers Rihanna, Jay Z, John Legend and Jennifer Lopez, athletes LeBron James, Shaquille O’Neal, Derek Jeter, Scottie Pippen e Alex Rodriguez, actress Kate Mara, race car driver Dale Earnhardt Jr., and filmmaker Spike Lee.

“Michelob ULTRA is currently the fastest-growing brand in the United States,” states Ricardo Marques, in the exclusive interview, in Manhattan, at InBev’s North American headquarters. “It’s a low-calorie, low-carb product, which is positioned as ideal for the healthier lifestyle, perfect for people who like to ride bikes and stay in shape, and who also enjoy having a beer with friends at the end of the day.”

From Viseu, where he was born two years after the Carnation Revolution, Ricardo Marques moved to Lisbon, at 18, to study marketing and management (graduating from Instituto Superior de Gestão). He started his professional career in an international advertising agency at the Portuguese capital city, and then works at the Abril Controljornal Editora before joining the Nobre brand, in the food industry – controlled by the North American company Sara Lee. “It’s when I worked for Nobre that I had the opportunity to work abroad, in 2002, in Holland, where I became the brand manager responsible for innovation,” says Ricardo.

Still at Sara Lee, Ricardo relocates to Belgium in 2004 where he is involved in the local operations of the group. In the following year, another change… “In August I joined InBev as a product manager, still in Belgium,” he stated.

In 2008, when Anheuser-Busch merges with the Brazilian InBev, Ricardo Marques moves to this side of the Atlantic, becoming Global Marketing Manager for Stella Artois – now placed in Saint Louis, Missouri, at the conglomerate’s headquarters.

In 2010, InBev places him in São Paulo, responsible for the marketing of the biggest beer brand in South America, Skol; New York comes two year later, when the Portuguese takes the lead of all marketing operations for Budweiser – coordinating mega advertising efforts, such as the campaigns for the 2014 World Cup and Super Bowl editions.

“We like to focus on the right values, such as Diversity and inclusion,” observes Ricardo Marques. “We also actively support the Armed Forces and sponsor scholarships for military children that became orphan.”

InBev also aims to be a good “corporate citizen”, investing in renewable energy and promoting the responsible consumption of its products.

During the dark times of the COVID pandemic, the company developed a trailblazing partnership with the NBA and Microsoft, creating a virtual experience for fans of the sport, who were able to watch basketball games from their own homes, as if they were at the arena.

“Through this process, people can even “talk” to the spectators sitting next to them at the virtual stands,” he adds.

InBev maintains great part of its roughly 400 employees in New York working from home, “as we have already adapted to this situation.

We believe that we can remain very productive with Zoom and all the technology currently available, however,” highlights Ricardo, “we still believe that the office is a magical place for human interaction and energy exchange, and we want to go back as soon as we can ensure the adequate conditions to do so.”

Ricardo Marques prefers not to think in the long term (but he does not say never for a return to Portugal) – “I always focus on the next six months, the immediate challenge that I am facing, and I like to think there is always a bigger one to tackle.”

Ricardo feels well adapted in the USA. “As an immigrant, I think this is a fantastic country. I love living here,” he notes. “I read an article saying that New York is dead … I think that is a statement that couldn’t be further from the truth. This is a city that faced many challenges, and the truth is that it always finds a way of overcoming them. My son Ralph was born here, and although I am biased, I think New York is perhaps the best city in the world.”