Virgin Sport has hired its first two executives since its May 2015 founding, adding a director of strategy and marketing chief.
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FREY
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SPRAGUE
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Erin Sprague joined this month as global head of marketing and customer experience for the amateur fitness events platform, CEO Mary Wittenberg said. Sprague spent four years in product, marketing and sales at Specialized Bicycle Components in Morgan Hill, Calif.
Jessica Frey was hired as global director of strategy and planning in August. Like Wittenberg, she previously worked for the New York Road Runners, where she developed long-term strategy for the nonprofit running club that operates the TCS New York City Marathon.
“With Jessica, we gain analytical firepower, the technical intellect that drives scale, and critical experience in events,” Wittenberg said. “Erin brings us the rare combination of both business acumen and creative initiative, with a track record of building compelling products in cycling and multisport.”
Both are frequent long-distance endurance event participants and lifelong athletes. They said they’d transfer that passion to the business. “Playing on a team has taught me that sport brings out the best in people, both on the field and off,” Sprague said. “My goal is to bring this unique inspiration and connection to people all over the world.”
Since Wittenberg left her role as CEO of NYRR to launch Virgin Sport, the business has kept a low profile in its early months. Virgin hopes to launch a series of multisport participation events in the U.K. and the U.S.
Other members of its team include business development lead Freddie Andrewes and head of operations Victoria Brumfield.
