AB InBev-SABMiller headquarters to be in Leuven, Belgium

Anheuser-Busch InBev SA announced Thursday that the headquarters for its massive tie-up with SAB Miller will be in Leuven, Belgium, with its global management offices in New York.

The company said it will also organise into nine geographical zones to "maximize growth opportunities and build on the strengths of both SABMiller and AB InBev in their respective markets," it said.

"The combined group will be headquartered in Leuven, Belgium, and will have its Global Functional Management Office in New York," the company said in a statement. 

The global headquarters in Leuven will will also serve as the European regional headquarters.

Among the other eight regional headquarters, St. Louis will serve the United States and Canada, Mexico City will look after Central America, while Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires and Bogota will serve various parts of Latin America.

Johannesburg will be the headquarters for Africa.

The two brewers originally came to agreement in November but the collapse of the pound following Britain's recent decision to leave the European Union prompted fresh negotiations.

SABMiller's board on Friday accepted AB InBev's final offer of £45 ($60, 53 euros) per share, up from from £44, with SABMiller valued at £79 billion.

Following the announcement SABMiller Chairman Jan du Plessis said the impact of the Brexit vote had made the board's decision more challenging.

SABMiller announced this week shareholders would vote on September 28 on its takeover by rival AB InBev.

The September meetings of both companies' shareholders will pave the way for the deal to be completed on October 10, London-based SABMiller said.

The company said that following the merger's completion, it will retain a presence in SABMiller’s UK offices in Woking for people working on integration and business continuity for a transitional period.

SABMiller's takeover is expected to be the third largest in history if it clears all the regulatory hurdles.