Brinker International promoted George Felix to Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer on March 2nd, expanding his leadership role to oversee marketing for both Chili’s Grill & Bar and Maggiano’s Little Italy.
Felix joined Brinker in 2022 as Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for Chili’s, where he helped reinvigorate the long-standing casual dining brand with bold, culturally relevant marketing and sharper operational alignment. His strategy focused on reconnecting with guests while simplifying execution inside restaurants, ensuring the food and service matched the brand’s advertising.
The approach delivered measurable results. During Felix’s tenure, Chili’s regained category momentum in both sales and traffic, while Brinker’s market capitalization grew from $1.3 billion to $6.25 billion as of March 2nd, 2026.
In his expanded role, Felix will continue leading marketing for Chili’s while applying the same disciplined strategy to Maggiano’s. The effort aligns with the company’s “Back to Maggiano’s” initiative, which aims to clarify the Italian-American brand’s positioning and strengthen guest experience through abundant portions and family-style hospitality.
“George has proven that when you deeply understand your guests and stay relentlessly focused on what makes a brand special, extraordinary results follow,” said Brinker CEO and President Kevin Hochman.
Felix’s work has earned industry recognition, including Fast Company’s 2025 CMO of the Year, Ad Age’s 2025 CMO of the Year, and ADWEEK’s 2024 Marketing Vanguard honor.
