Geneva — The World Economic Forum president and chief executive Børge Brende has resigned following scrutiny over his connections with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who had led the WEF since 2017, stepped down on Thursday after an independent review was launched into his past interactions with Epstein. That review was prompted by recently released files from the US Department of Justice showing that Brende had attended several business dinners with Epstein and had exchanged emails and texts with him between 2018 and 2019.
In his resignation statement, Brende did not mention Epstein but said he believed it was the right moment for the Forum to continue its work “without distractions” after more than eight years in the role. The independent investigation reportedly found no additional concerns beyond what had already become public.
The WEF’s board of trustees has named Alois Zwinggi as interim president and CEO while a process begins to identify a permanent successor. The Davos-based forum, best known for its annual global leaders’ summit, has faced heightened attention over governance and ethics at the top levels following the disclosures.
