Virgin Group names leader of 'Sport'

Virgin Group's latest endeavor, Virgin Sport, just added a leader: the woman behind the New York City marathon.

Mary Wittenberg, president and chief executive of New York Road Runners (NYRR), is leaving to join Virgin Sport, which aims to grow participation in running and cycling events, according to a Wednesday blog post by Virgin CEO Richard Branson. Wittenberg will be CEO of the new entity.

Virgin Sport is slated as a New York-based platform to help community leaders in the U.S., U.K. and South Africa plan events like marathons and triathlons. Sport, which will operate as an independent business owned by Virgin Group, would do the staffing and marketing to attract sponsors and…