Anheuser-Busch is being tight-lipped about the sudden departure of its U.S. marketing chief, Keith Levy.

The brewer said in a brief statement that Levy left his position today. No explanation was offered. A-B declined further comment.

The head of marketing at A-B is one of the company's most important and high-profile positions. Current A-B president Dave Peacock once held the title. So did former A-B CEO August Busch IV. 

The timing of Levy's departure is also interesting. January is typically a busy month filled with last-minute changes to A-B's Super Bowl advertising strategy.

A-B and other big brewers have struggled in recent years to reverse declining sales of their major brands. Budweiser, in particular, launched a massive marketing campaign late last year built around the tagline, "Grab Some Buds." 

Levy had been with A-B since 1987. He took over as A-B's top marketing executive shortly after the merger of Anheuser-Busch and InBev turned A-B into the combined company's U.S. subsidiary.  

"We thank Keith for his contributions to our company and wish him the best in his next endeavors," Peacock said in a statement. 

Taking over for Levy temporarily --  Frank Abenante, A-B InBev's vice president of Brands and Insights.

He's a marketing veteran, but new to beer. He joined the pre-merger InBev in 2007, previously working for Unilever and E&J Gallo Winery. He is currently based in New York.