AB-InBev sets up cybersecurity hub in Tel Aviv

Israel | AB-InBev plans to open a cybersecurity unit in Tel Aviv after an upsurge in hacking attacks. In recent times, AB-InBev has had to deal with various cybersecurity attacks.

The attacks ranged from the bothersome and disruptive to the financially motivated, Luis Veronesi, VP of global security and compliance at AB-InBev, told Reuters in June 2019.

The unit, dubbed the Beer Tech, will be focused on “analysing threats and potential attacks,” Mr Veronesi said. “With increasing digitalisation, we have to be prepared to defend against anything coming,” he added.

Israel is renowned for its cybersecurity firms, of which there were more than 450 in 2018. Last year, Israeli cybersecurity ventures raised more than USD 1 billion in equity investment, setting a new record.

The Beer Tech unit isn’t AB-InBev’s first venture in Israel. In 2018, the brewer bought the local start-up WeissBeerger Ltd., an analytics company that provides real-time data and feedback on beverage consumption and consumer behaviour, by connecting beer taps and registers to the internet. The acquisition was valued at about USD 80 million, Israeli media say.