George Felix
CMO
Chili’s Grill & Bar
George Felix is a brand turnaround specialist with a passion for using creativity to solve business problems. George currently serves as senior vice president and chief marketing officer at Chili’s® Grill & Bar – a brand in the Brinker International portfolio. He is responsible for all U.S. Chili's brand marketing efforts. This includes culinary innovation, consumer insights, PR, enhancing the digital guest experience, and bringing the Chili’s brand to life across all marketing channels including advertising and social media. Leading the brand’s return to national marketing and culinary innovation, George has helped return Chili’s to category leadership in both sales and traffic growth which has resulted in Brinker International’s market capitalization increasing from $1.3 billion to $7+ billion.
Before joining Chili’s in 2022, George was chief marketing officer of Tinder, where he led the global brand vision, strategy, and marketing operations for the highest grossing non-gaming app in the world. During his time at Tinder, George established the brand’s first brand positioning and delivered revenue growth of +22% and grew payers on the platform by +16% year over year.
Prior, he served as chief marketing officer of Pizza Hut U.S., where he oversaw marketing, media and public relations for the brand. During his time at Pizza Hut, he led the development of a new brand positioning and advertising campaign that helped deliver three consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth including Pizza Hut’s best quarter in over a decade.
Before joining Pizza Hut, George was director of marketing for KFC Global, where he was responsible for the brand communications strategy and positioning across 140 countries. He also served as director of brand communications for KFC U.S., leading national advertising, media strategy, product packaging and restaurant merchandising. During his time in the role, the brand grew sales for three consecutive years behind the award-winning ‘Return of Colonel Sanders’ advertising campaign.
Prior to joining KFC, George worked in brand management at Procter & Gamble for six years. During that time, he worked on the Old Spice brand where he led award-winning advertising campaigns that returned Old Spice to the top of the deodorant and body wash category in sales.
In 2024, Nation’s Restaurant News named Felix to its Power List of 50 Marketers who are redefining power in the American restaurant industry and ADWEEK named Felix a Marketing Vanguard award winner as one of the most impactful Chief Marketing Officers of the year. In 2018, Ad Age named Felix its "Brand Marketer of the Year" and in 2016 he made the outlet's 40 Under 40 list. During his career, he has been at the helm of several award-winning campaigns including 14 Cannes Lions, 5 Effies and an Emmy for Best Commercial.
George holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. George enjoys spending time with his family – his wife, Mary; daughter, Eleanor; and son, Wilson. He is an avid sports fan, enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and trying new restaurants.
Before joining Chili’s in 2022, George was chief marketing officer of Tinder, where he led the global brand vision, strategy, and marketing operations for the highest grossing non-gaming app in the world. During his time at Tinder, George established the brand’s first brand positioning and delivered revenue growth of +22% and grew payers on the platform by +16% year over year.
Prior, he served as chief marketing officer of Pizza Hut U.S., where he oversaw marketing, media and public relations for the brand. During his time at Pizza Hut, he led the development of a new brand positioning and advertising campaign that helped deliver three consecutive quarters of same-store sales growth including Pizza Hut’s best quarter in over a decade.
Before joining Pizza Hut, George was director of marketing for KFC Global, where he was responsible for the brand communications strategy and positioning across 140 countries. He also served as director of brand communications for KFC U.S., leading national advertising, media strategy, product packaging and restaurant merchandising. During his time in the role, the brand grew sales for three consecutive years behind the award-winning ‘Return of Colonel Sanders’ advertising campaign.
Prior to joining KFC, George worked in brand management at Procter & Gamble for six years. During that time, he worked on the Old Spice brand where he led award-winning advertising campaigns that returned Old Spice to the top of the deodorant and body wash category in sales.
In 2024, Nation’s Restaurant News named Felix to its Power List of 50 Marketers who are redefining power in the American restaurant industry and ADWEEK named Felix a Marketing Vanguard award winner as one of the most impactful Chief Marketing Officers of the year. In 2018, Ad Age named Felix its "Brand Marketer of the Year" and in 2016 he made the outlet's 40 Under 40 list. During his career, he has been at the helm of several award-winning campaigns including 14 Cannes Lions, 5 Effies and an Emmy for Best Commercial.
George holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Notre Dame and a master’s degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill’s Kenan-Flagler Business School. George enjoys spending time with his family – his wife, Mary; daughter, Eleanor; and son, Wilson. He is an avid sports fan, enjoys playing tennis, traveling, and trying new restaurants.