M arcel Herrmann Telles is a Brazilian investment banker and one of the principal architects of the global beer empire that became Anheuser-Busch InBev (AB InBev). He is part of a renowned trio of Brazilian investors, alongside his longtime partners Jorge Paulo Lemann and Carlos Alberto Sicupira. They began their partnership at the Brazilian investment bank Banco Garantia. In 1989, they acquired the struggling Brazilian brewery Brahma, with Telles, a brewing enthusiast himself, taking the lead on operations.

Applying a ruthless management philosophy focused on meritocracy and cost-cutting, Telles and his partners transformed Brahma, later merging it with its rival Antarctica to form AmBev. This became the launching pad for an audacious series of international acquisitions, including Belgium's Interbrew (forming InBev), America's Anheuser-Busch, and Britain's SABMiller, creating the world's undisputed beer behemoth. Telles and his partners also control Restaurant Brands International (owner of Burger King and Tim Hortons) and Kraft Heinz through their private equity firm, 3G Capital. He is considered one of the most successful and influential businessmen in Brazil's history.