Beatport has today announced a significant leadership transition. One that will reshape the executive structure of one of the world’s leading platform for DJs and electronic music. Longtime CEO Robb McDaniels is stepping into the role of Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors. This transition brings closure to a nine-year tenure that fundamentally transformed the company. In his place, Matt Gralen, currently President & Chief Financial Officer will assume the CEO role. Helen Sartory, currently Chief Revenue Officer, will be elevated to President & Chief Operating Officer.
McDaniels Contributions
When Robb McDaniels joined Beatport in 2017, the company was emerging from a bruising period. Its former parent company, SFX Entertainment, had filed for bankruptcy, leaving Beatport’s future uncertain. What followed was a nine-year rebuild that, by any measure, delivered results. Under McDaniels’ leadership, Beatport’s revenue more than quadrupled. The platform now serves over one million unique customers annually across a suite of more than a dozen products for DJs, artists, labels and producers.
Prior to Beatport, McDaniels was the founder and CEO of Ingrooves Music Group. Universal Music Group acquired the company in 2019. He had a track record that brought both industry credibility and commercial discipline to the role from day one.
“Working with Beatport’s incredible team, artists and business partners has been the most rewarding experience of my career,” McDaniels said. “I am so proud of what our organisation has accomplished since 2017, and I know that Matt, Helen, and the entire leadership team will expand on the category-defining position we have built. As Executive Chairman, I will continue to be involved in the company’s partnerships and planning, and I will be a sounding board for Matt and Helen as they take Beatport to the next level.”
New Leadership: Gralen and Sartory Step Up
Both Matt Gralen and Helen Sartory joined Beatport in 2022. Their combined influence over the past four years has been substantial. Gralen has steered the company’s broader strategy and financial operations, while Sartory has overseen Beatport’s product portfolio and revenue architecture. Together, they have helped scale the platform’s streaming offering for DJs, introduced new products and services for artists and labels. They expanded Beatport’s cultural footprint — including over 50 Beatport Live events held in 2025 alone.
“Beatport is a pillar of dance music culture whose focused service to DJs, artists and labels cannot be replicated,“ said Gralen. “I am honoured to guide our platform into a new chapter alongside our passionate team, as we work to deliver positive outcomes for both our customers and our business. Robb has been a phenomenal leader and mentor, and I am excited to continue the strong partnership that he, Helen and I have had for the last several years.”
To this Sartory adds, “From my first day, working on the Beatport mission alongside Robb has been incredibly rewarding. As a team we’ve seen tremendous progress over the last few years. I’m excited to be working alongside Matt for the next stage of the company’s evolution, as we continue to innovate for Beatport’s DJ community, our artist and label ecosystem, and the dance music industry as a whole.”
Beyond its core platform, Beatport’s group of companies also includes Ampsuite, a digital distribution company. Also, LabelRadar, a demo submission platform, the International Music Summit, and Plugin Boutique, the leading marketplace for software plugins. Community initiatives including the Beatport Community Funds and Beatport Next — its flagship artist development programme — continue to reflect the company’s commitment to building a more inclusive and forward-thinking electronic music industry.
The transition takes effect July 1, 2026.
