Beatport Announces Senior Leadership Transition as Robb McDaniels Steps Into Executive Chairman Role

Beatport has announced a senior leadership transition, with longtime CEO Robb McDaniels stepping into the role of Executive Chairman effective July 1, 2026. Taking the reins as CEO is current President and CFO Matt Gralen, while Chief Revenue Officer Helen Sartory will move into the position of President & COO.

McDaniels’ nine-year run at the helm has been nothing short of transformative. After joining in 2017 in the wake of SFX Entertainment’s bankruptcy, he helped steer Beatport through a full turnaround. Under his leadership, Beatport has cemented its position as the leading global brand for DJs and electronic music, with revenue more than quadrupling. Today, Beatport serves over one million unique customers annually and offers a suite of a dozen products for DJs, artists, labels, and producers.

“Working with Beatport’s incredible team, artists and business partners has been the most rewarding experience of my career,” said McDaniels. “I am so proud of what our organization 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.”

Since joining in 2022, Matt Gralen and Helen Sartory have played key roles in positioning Beatport as a cornerstone of the global dance music economy, with Gralen steering the company’s strategy and operations and Sartory overseeing Beatport’s product portfolio. During their tenure, Beatport has scaled its streaming offering for DJs, added several products and services for artists and labels, and expanded its reach across dance music culture with over 50 Beatport Live events held in 2025.

Matt Gralen: CEO | The Beatport Group

Beatport is a pillar of dance music culture whose focused service to DJs, artists and labels cannot be replicated. I am honored 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.

Helen Sartory: President & COO | The Beatport Group

From my first day, working on the Beatport mission alongside Robb has been incredibly rewarding, and 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.

Now, with a refreshed leadership structure in place, Beatport is gearing up for its next phase – one that looks set to push deeper into platform innovation, artist services, and its ever-growing footprint across dance music culture.