John Dillon: A Leader in Business Innovation

John Dillon is a seasoned executive, advisor and board member with three decades of experience connecting brands with customers to drive sustained business performance. With a strong track record of leadership, John is recognized across multiple industries for his ability to foster business growth, instill clear brand differentiation and purpose, inspire breakthrough innovation, and enhance authentic customer experiences. He builds loyal teams and cultivates trust-based cultures that lead to immediate and lasting growth in sales, profit, and team satisfaction.

Most recently serving as the President, following roles of EVP, Chief Brand Officer, and SVP Chief Marketing Officer of Denny’s Corporation (NASDAQ: DENN), John held pivotal roles during his 16-year tenure at the international $2.9B-revenue company. His leadership as President was instrumental in spearheading critical strategic growth investments, solidifying the brand’s value leadership, dramatically lifting operational guest experience metrics, and expanding brand growth channels.  In his time as CBO and CMO, John solidified the brand’s position as America’s Diner, re-imagined the brand’s menu with a higher emphasis on quality for the consumer and profits for the franchisee, spearheaded the pre-pandemic launch of Denny’s on Demand, developed comprehensive social impact strategies, and launched several promotional partnerships to increase brand relevancy with younger consumers. Under his guidance, Denny’s experienced substantial sales, profit, and guest satisfaction growth to rejuvenate the iconic brand.

Before his tenure at Denny’s, John was the Chief Marketing Officer for the NBA’s Houston Rockets franchise, leading groundbreaking initiatives to enhance customer experience, ticket sales and brand sentiment. Prior to the NBA, John led several new product launches, innovation and strategic brand work at Yum Brand’s Pizza Hut for a decade.

With a diverse background that also includes roles at Omnicom (working on brands such as AT&T, USAA and Mitsubishi) in addition to Fidelity Investments, John brings a wealth of experience in marketing, innovation, and strategy to the table.
 

Recognized for his contributions to multiple industries, John has received numerous accolades, including Forbes' "World’s 50 Most Influential CMOs", Business Insider’s “Top 50 Innovative CMOs in the World”, Adweek’s “Top 50”, Nation’s Restaurant News’ “Power 50”, AdAge’s “Media Maven” and PRWeek's "Power 50." He holds a BBA in Marketing and QuantitativeBusiness Analysis from Baylor University and completed executive education at Harvard Business School.

Beyond his professional endeavors, John is committed to serving on various boards and committees, including Baylor University’s Business School, Clemson University’s Erwin Center for Communications, Association of National Advertisers, ANA’s Alliance for Multicultural and Inclusive Marketing, and more. John currently serves as an Executive in Residence at Baylor University and volunteers with Michael J. Fox’s Parkinsons Foundation and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

John is a strong believer of the intersection between the good that companies can do and the growth that work can provide business results and individuals. Explore John Dillon’s professional journey and achievements and discover how his expertise can drive success for your organization.