Anheuser-Busch InBev’s (ABI.BR) CEO says a study of SABMiller’s (SAB.L) African beer markets and talks with top shareholders led to an “alignment of stars” that drew it to its nearest rival. Chief Executive Carlos Brito told a conference call last week that his company has been eyeing its rival for “quite a while”. In the last few months though AB InBev has done “deep dive” studies of the top nine African markets, which would include SABMiller markets such as South Africa and Nigeria.