Borge Brende, president and CEO of the World Economic Forum, said on Thursday that he would step down, weeks after the organisation initiated an independent investigation into his past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Brende, who assumed the presidency of the World Economic Forum in 2017, announced his decision in a statement after disclosures from the US Justice Department revealed that the Norwegian had attended three business dinners with Jeffrey Epstein and had communicated with him via email and text messages.
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World Economic Forum CEO’s statement
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. My time here, spanning 8-1/2 years, has been profoundly rewarding,” he said.
“I am grateful for the incredible collaboration with my colleagues, partners, and constituents, and I believe now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions,” added Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister. Brende did not refer to Epstein in his statement.
In a separate statement, Andre Hoffmann and Larry Fink, co-chairs of the Geneva-based forum that organises the annual Davos summit, said the independent review conducted by outside counsel into Brende’s ties with Epstein had concluded.
They added that the findings identified no concerns beyond those already disclosed.
The co-chairs also announced that Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim president and CEO, while the Forum’s Board of Trustees oversees the leadership transition and initiates the process to appoint a permanent successor.