POWER 50 2025: Mardi Caught (The Annex)

BACKGROUND CHECK:

A respected figure in the world of Australian music, Mardi Caught has held numerous leadership positions, including General Manager roles at majors such as Sony and Warner. However, it was in 2018 that Mardi took the leap into the next stage of her journey, launching her own company, The Annex backed by Unified’s Jaddan Comerford.

Since its founding, The Annex has seen Mardi carve out a unique space within the industry, offering bespoke marketing, release strategy, and artist development services for both local and international acts. The company has since become a go-to partner for labels, managers, and independent artists looking to navigate a complex digital and global marketplace. Mardi’s work has seen her champion Australian talent on the world stage and helped shape a new model for modern music marketing, with her influence continuing to be felt across the wider industry, where she is consistently recognised as a mentor, innovator, and one of Australian music’s most trusted strategic thinkers.

THE YEAR IN AUSTRALIAN MUSIC:

Having spent the past year strengthening The Annex as a force in independent music and helping artists, managers, and labels while working with partners like Ourness, Chugg Music, Community/UNIFIED, TMRW Music and SIO/CSR, The Annex team has also developed emerging acts such as aleksiah, Go-Jo, Yes Boone, FISHER, and Luude, while supporting established careers such as Genesis Owusu and Royel Otis. The result of this work has included multiple ARIA wins, an increased presence for indies on the charts, and huge cultural moments, such as The Dreggs’ breakout appearance on Like A Version this year

Meanwhile, The Annex’s biggest chart year had coincided with the expansion of their team to seven people in both Melbourne and Sydney, while their tour marketing efforts have brought on heritage acts such as Spiderbait and the Hoodoo Gurus. Effective campaigns for the likes of Keli Holiday and Diesel have resulted in further huge successes, while Mardi has also expanded her own presence within the industry with her joining the board of MusicNSW and being the 4th board member to join the Australian Music Venue Foundation, helping to set up a peak body representing grass roots music venues.

THE MUSIC SPEAKS:

Everyone loves Mardi. She’s created a niche for herself by foreseeing the rise of the independents as the new force in Australian music and creating a solution to marketing challenges in an ever-changing world. 

Her work on industry associations is a testament to the esteem she’s held in along with her willingness to give back. But it’s her depth of knowledge that has her on speed dial when the industry wants to take the temperature of an idea, get the feeling of who might pick up on a track or how to reach an audience.