Virgin Sport Global CEO MARY WITTENBERG has left the business along with her N.Y.-based team after the RICHARD BRANSON-owned fitness festival brand decided to focus exclusively on the U.K. this year. Wittenberg, who joined the organization after leaving N.Y. Road Runners in '15, had been focused on building a series of festivals in major cities designed to lure a more diverse group of participants by offering events at different fitness levels. Virgin Sport had operated three U.K. events in '17, but it was forced to cancel its inaugural U.S. event slated for S.F. this past October due to the major wildfires nearby. Wittenberg at the time said her first thoughts were that it would not change the company’s U.S. strategy much. "While we started with initial plans for events in the US and UK, we have recently decided to focus solely on the UK business as of the start of the year,” Wittenberg wrote on Instagram on Sunday. “So, our global team and I will close our NYC office and leave the business at the end of the year. Which is now upon us! We’ll be cheering our awesome UK team on from afar.” She did not indicate what is next for her. “I’m excited for the new year and new beginnings,” she said.
