Marketing & Innovation Summit

Jeremy K. Balkin is the multi-award winning author of two books, Investing with Impact: Why Finance is a Force for Good, and Millennialization of Everything: How to Win When Millennials Rule the World. He hosts a weekly vlog series on LinkedIn about innovation called Be The Change in 60 Seconds and his latest book was been named the 2018 Award Finalist in Leadership by the Book Excellence Awards and the 2017 Award Finalist in Management and Leadership by the Best Book Awards. Mr. Balkin also serves as Head of Innovation for HSBC Bank based in New York, where his team recently made history becoming the first major bank in the world to launch a social humanoid robot and wearable technology in a retail bank environment. He participates on the Samsung Council for Emerging Technology and was recently was named among the Top 19 Innovators in Digital Banking by LendIt USA. Mr. Balkin previously served as an adviser to The Hon. Malcolm Turnbull, Australia's 29th Prime Minister, and as an executive with Macquarie Bank. In 2017, Jeremy K. Balkin was named one of the Top 35 Millennial Influencers in the USA by the NBT Movement in Washington D.C. and received the Advance Global Australian Award. Mr. Balkin has also received the UNSW Alumni Award for Achievement and been designated a Young Global Leader by the World Economic Forum in Davos.

John Dillon, Denny’s Inc. ​Senior Vice President & ​Chief Brand Officer, is responsible for the brand and marketing direction of Denny’s Corporation, including the development and execution of brand and marketing strategies ​at the national, international and local market level​, brand positioning, advertising campaigns​, broadcast and digital/social media, strategic partnerships, multicultural engagement, consumer insights,​​ guest experience, retail development, social responsibility, customer relationship management, off-premise business and ​overall ​product/menu development.  John’s recent industry recognition includes Business Insider’s “Top 50 Innovative CMOs in the World”, Ad Age “Media Maven” and Nation’s Restaurant News “Power 50” list. Prior to
joining Denny’s, John ​​held multiple marketing leadership positions with​in various organizations, including within ​the National Basketball Association and 10 years with Yum! Brands, where he held multiple marketing leadership positions on the Pizza Hut brand.​

The last several years have been a period of significant brand revitalization for the Denny’s brand under John’s tenure and leadership. This work includes the identification and amplification of the brand’s America’s Diner positioning and “feeding people” brand purpose, improving or changing over 80% of Denny’s entrees over the past several years, the establishment of an industry-leading digital and social media voice, significant media plan evolution, breakthrough brand partnerships, elevation of the brand’s multicultural marketing focus, the reinvigoration of social responsibility efforts, and the introduction and aggressive system-wide rollout of the brand’s e-commerce initiative of Denny’s on Demand. Together with other members of Denny’s leadership team, brand partners, franchisees and operators these efforts have led to positive system-wide same-store sales growth for the last eight consecutive years.

Denny's is one of America's largest full-service family restaurant chains. With over 90% of domestic restaurants franchise-owned, the brand currently operates over 1,700 franchised, licensed and company-owned restaurants across the United States and 14 countries.

Leading commerce strategy, sales, marketing, and consulting teams for over 20 years, Russell has worked with hundreds of organizations in shaping go-to-market strategies and execution plans. With a passion for technology’s socio-economic impact, Russell is known for expertly fusing economics, strategy, humor, and leadership into a deeply relevant, and entertaining message.
Russell holds an MBA from NYU and a BS in Computer Science from SUNY Binghamton. His expertise in AI is continually reshaped as he “trains” his 8 and 4 year old sons.

Responsible for the oversight of client & agency business from both brand and marketing perspectives, as SVP, Integrated Marketing, Brand & PR, Smith leads teams cross-country. In her role, Smith seamlessly communicates and collaborates with all departments, participates in pitching/executing client programs, drives ideation of integrated marketing opportunities with production, digital/social, programming & sales, plus oversees brand standards and creative synchronicity with REVOLT, it’s consumers and clients.

Prior to joining REVOLT, Smith spent over 15 years at top-tier advertising agencies including Dentsu/360i, Young & Rubicam, Deutsch and Ogilvy, where she served as a Partner. Her branding and marketing experience spans a diverse array of industries, including luxury, beauty/fashion, music, retail, technology, spirits, consumer product, energy, automotive, television and financial services categories and consumer product categories. During her career, Smith has also worked in marketing within insurance and financial services at two Fortune 100 organizations, TIAA-CREF and JPMorgan Chase.
A Midwesterner turned Manhattanite, Smith is a graduate of Loyola University of Chicago. She currently resides in Manhattan with her husband.

BMF was built on Brian’s creativity and commitment to forging unique experiences that meet the needs of both brands and consumers, by establishing platforms and experiences that evoke a deeper level of emotional engagement.  He has always been a passionate believer that brand experiences can transcend moments in time to influence long-term changes in consumer behavior and brand affinity. Brian constantly brings new perspectives to category and industry norms, to inform the design of experiences that establish authentic relevance and stand out from the crowd. He’s a connector and a creator, known for the long-term relationships he’s cultivated with brands and the marketers behind them.

Ben is a Manhattan native and has worked in the NYC events industry for more than 12 years. He founded a concert booking and promotion company while in high school producing concerts at venues such as Brooklyn Bowl and Webster Hall. Acts Ben has booked include Zoe Kravitz fronted-Elevator Fight, American Authors, Mitchy C (now frontman of Lovelytheband), and The Parlor Mob. After college, Ben transitioned into the hospitality and dating industries where he has worked with clients including CitySwoon (Australia's #1 singles events company), Carmine's Times Square (#2 restaurant in Manhattan), JCrush, BTL SVC, Pisco Porton, and Qui Tequila. He has secured media coverage for his clients in Metro New York and the New York Post as well as on NY1. Currently, Ben is producing weekly events in NYC and two events a month in DC with plans to expand to Philadelphia, Boston, and Chicago this year for his client CitySwoon.

Elizabeth was born and raised in NYC, betraying her city briefly and relocating to Atlanta for four years where she attended Emory University. At Emory Elizabeth double majored in English and Philosophy and graduated Summa Cum Laude. She spent her first year out of college working at AIPAC as a member of the Events and Operations Team and is now spending her summer studying UX Research and Design.

As an active member of NYC’s Jewish community, Elizabeth has been involved with several Jewish and Israeli organizations. She is a weekly participant at Meor Manhattan, travelled with the group to Poland, Slovakia and Budapest this past winter and is currently collaborating with a Meor Manhattan employee on a community building project. She also serves on the Belev Echad YL board, and helped to plan, coordinate and recruit for their Chanukah in the City party, their fall gala and their YP Purim Party. Elizabeth has also been involved with the Tikvah Center and Fuel for Truth. She has recently joined the YJP community is eager to meet other members and participants!

Jaclyn is an experienced intellectual property and transactional attorney in NYC serving clients throughout the United States and internationally. She brings a targeted breadth of knowledge in trademark and copyright law, having years of experience working within the media, theater, PR and communications industries, and having represented clients in the music, entertainment, fashion, event production, digital media, tech, food/beverage, consumer goods, and beauty industries.

Protecting the value of clients' intellectual creations and safeguarding their ownership of their hard work is Jaclyn's lead priority as an attorney.

Jaclyn also teaches as an Adjunct Professor at Cardozo School of Law, having developed and instructed the school’s first Trademark Practicum course for international students.

In her spare time, Jaclyn’s passion for theater and love for NYC keeps her exploring the boundless creativity in the world’s greatest city!

After completing a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Wits University, Orr Koren started Koren Films, a corporate video production company in South Africa, in 2013. Today, Koren Films is based in New York and attracts projects internationally.

Thanks to his large global network, Orr has also invested in further areas of film and business, including Cinelytic, a data analytics platform in the film industry, which helps studios and independent film companies make faster and smarter decisions throughout a film’s value chain.