Milly Petriella to Exit APRA AMCOS

Milly Petriella, one of APRA AMCOS’ most recognisable figures and a tireless champion of the artist community, is leaving the PRO after 27 years.

It’s the end of an era for APRA and Petriella, director of member relations at APRA AMCOS, who moves on to a “new and exciting role,” details of which will be made public in due course, writes Alison Wright, head of membership, in a message to staff. 

“There is going to be lots of time for special farewells and celebrations,” notes Wright in the internal email, seen by TMN. “An enormous thank you and congratulations.”

Petriella leaves APRA in a better place than when she started.

During her time with the organisation, Petriella scored a string of wins, from the establishment of its global offices in London, Nashville and Los Angeles; the rollout of SongHubs writing camps; the introduction of the International Achievement Award at the APRA Music Awards; the launch of the Global Music Awards; creating The 1,000,000 List; and, notes Wright, she made “a major contribution” to NORO on its board, raising more than a million dollars over ten years.

Under Petriella’s leadership, the team has maintained a 99% retention rate in a “very competitive environment,” adds Wright, and the outgoing exec has “also been advocating on behalf of our members ensuring they are acknowledged and recognised globally for their successes, living both here and overseas.”

Petriella has logged countless airmiles in her role as chief advocate for the music community. In 2016, she relocated for a time to the United States, where she established a new music industry association, becoming APRA’s first senior executive to be based there.

Artists “are a small business,” she told TMN ahead of the inaugural Global Music Awards. “And they’re trying to find the right place for their business to be based. They know, ‘okay I need to be in LA’, and they go there without any business funding that might be available to other small businesses when they launch – because it’s the music industry, there’s no such thing.

She continued, “The stories that I’ve heard, the trials and tribulations that these songwriters go through to do maybe their first three trips when they don’t know anyone… They’ve got no money, they’re sleeping on couches…

“[…] I am amazed at the strength and resilience and the ‘no fear’ that our songwriters have travelling around the world.”

Petriella will stay on until the end of February 2023 in a consultancy role to ensure a smooth transition.