The CEO of Refinery29 has exited the top job, amid staff layoffs, eight months into the publication running under new ownership.
The female-focused digital media outlet has faced ongoing difficulties with declining numbers and CEO Cory Haik has now left the company after taking on the role back in April, when Sundial Media Group took over the publication, with her reasons for bowing out unknown.
Sundial Media Group has not named an interim CEO and neither they nor Haik have made public comment.
The layoffs totalled around 10% of the company, less than a dozen of Refinery29's 100-person workforce.
While Refinery29 was making US$100 million (A$158.4 million) in top-line revenue when Vice Media acquired it back in 2019, by 2023 revenue had fallen sharply to only $30 million.
It has been working to shift away from programmatic advertising, with more of a focus on branded services and events, having hosted Beautycon in Los Angeles last month.
Sundial Media Group operates several brands with a focus on women and the Black community, including Essence, Afropunk and Girls United, with an express interest in buying more publications.