Focus Brands Inc. announced the appointment of Michael Dixon as chief financial officer for its more than 5,000 ice cream shops, bakeries, restaurants, and cafes through its affiliate brands, which include Auntie Anne's, Carvel, Cinnabon, McAlister's Deli, Moe's Southwest Grill, and Schlotzsky's.

As CFO, Dixon is responsible for the development and execution of the financial strategy that supports the company's business plans, overseeing all finance, treasury, accounting, budget, tax, and audit activities. Dixon will be a key member of the executive leadership team, providing input and financial leadership to the company.

"With deep finance experience within both the franchise and company-operated restaurant industry, Mike has demonstrated the ability to provide critical support to differentiated food service brands and manage high-performance teams as a growth-oriented leader and top financial officer," says Steve DeSutter, CEO, Focus Brands Inc.

Dixon has served in a number of key financial leadership roles, including more than 15 years in the food service industry. Most recently he served as president and CFO of Ignite Restaurant Group, Inc., where he led financial and other key support functions for the 350-unit, multi-branded restaurant company. Prior to that he served as senior vice president and CFO for Pinkberry Inc., senior vice president and chief financial officer for The Cheesecake Factory Inc., vice president and controller for Petsmart.com, director of finance and business development for The Walt Disney Company, and as a CPA at Coopers & Lybrand, a predecessor firm to PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Dixon received his bachelor's degree in business administration and his master's degree in accounting from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.