Fortress Recruits Beth Appleton As Chief Marketing Officer

Beth Appleton has been announced as the new Chief Marketing Officer for games culture and entertainment business Fortress Australia.

The move comes some six months after Appleton stood down as CEO of Jaxsta Music – a role she’d held for just over a year – at which point she was replaced by Vampr co-founder Josh Simons. Prior to that, she was notable for her position as General Manager and Senior Vice President of Marketing at Warner Music Australia.

In a press release, it’s said Appleton’s move to Fortress “underscores” the company’s “commitment to enhancing its presence in the entertainment and music sectors”. Her position will strengthen the brand as it aims to “further connect with artists, performers and event organisers, offering them the opportunity to showcase their talents” in Fortress’ Sydney (Eora) and Melbourne (Naarm) venues.

Appleton will work closely with Fortress’ creative teams, and serve as the executive head of the company’s focal points in Audience Growth, Events, Marketing, Customer Experience and Retention. Jon Satterley – co-founder and CEO of Fortress – said in a statement that Appleton’s “extensive experience and passion for the industry align perfectly with” the company’s vision.

“We look forward to exploring new horizons and creating unforgettable experiences with Beth at the helm,” Satterley added.

The excitement was shared by Appleton, who said in a statement of her own: “I am thrilled to kick-off this exhilarating new chapter with Fortress Australia, a vanguard in the world of entertainment and gaming. Jon has brought an incredible vision to life at Fortress with a top class team. 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.”

Though her tenure at Jaxsta was shortlived, Appleton was instrumental in driving the company’s growth at the turn of the 2020s, including the expansion of its official music credits database, the acquisition of Vampr, and the launch of VINYL.com (a hybrid DTC record store and media platform).

Across a decade at Warner, too, Appleton was a pivotal force in some of the biggest promotional campaigns of the 2010s, shaping the public-facing brand of acts like Dua Lipa, Bruno Mars, Ed Sheeran, Coldplay, Jason Derulo, Major Lazer, Michael Bublé and Twenty One Pilots.