Beth Appleton Joins Fortress Australia as CMO

Ex-Jaxsta CEO and major label marketing heavyweight Beth Appleton has surfaced at Fortress Australia.

With immediate effect, the British-born executive is named as chief marketing officer (CMO) at Fortress, the games culture and experiences specialist — a move that reunites her with former Warner Music Group colleague Jon Satterley.

In her new post, Appleton will serve as the executive head of Fortress Australia’s audience growth, events, marketing, creative teams, customer experience and retention.

Her arrival at the company, reads a statement, “marks an exciting turning point for Fortress Australia as it continues to innovate and grow in the world of games culture and entertainment,” and “underscores” the business’s ambitions in the entertainment and music sectors.

“With her leadership,” the statement continues, “Fortress aims to further connect with artists, performers, and event organisers, offering them the opportunity to showcase their talents in their iconic venues.”

Fortress plays in the space of building digital content options for the entertainment and music industries, and has hosted product activations with the likes of L’Oreal, SXSW Sydney, Google and more.

“I am thrilled to kick-off this exhilarating new chapter with Fortress Australia, a vanguard in the world of entertainment and gaming,” comments Appleton in a statement.

The company has sites in Sydney and Melbourne and is led by founder and CEO Satterley, a former music industry professional who ran Roadrunner Records’ business in Australia from 1995 to 2007 as managing director, before relocating to New York to serve as senior VP – new media & global business development.

Satterley addressed the music industry as a keynote speaker at the 2009 AMBC event in Sydney, a year before Roadrunner was fully acquired by WMG.

“Jon has brought an incredible vision to life at Fortress with a top class team,” Appleton adds.

“I am excited to contribute to this journey, enabling further success as we work together, delivering creative initiatives, crafting unforgettable experiences and events, and strategically building our business.”

Most recently, Appleton served as CEO of Jaxsta Music (now Vinyl Group), departing in a June 2023 leadership switch.

The marketing guru joined the business in July 2021, initially as chief marketing officer, following a decade-long stint with Warner Music Australia, where she served as general manager and senior vice president marketing Australasia

Her resume includes digital and marketing posts with EMI in the U.K. and Australia, Richard Branson’s V2 Music and Universal Music Group, and she’s been saluted in Billboard’s Women In Music profile.

“We are excited to welcome Beth Appleton as our chief marketing officer,” enthuses Satterley in a statement.

“Her extensive experience and passion for the industry align perfectly with our vision for Fortress. We look forward to exploring new horizons and creating unforgettable experiences with Beth at the helm.”