Børge Brende, president and chief executive of the World Economic Forum (WEF), has resigned after the global organisation launched an investigation into his past ties with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, officials confirmed Thursday.
Brende, who led the Geneva-based forum known for its annual Davos summit since 2017, stepped down after the WEF launched an independent review earlier this month following newly released documents and disclosures related to Epstein’s network.
Those documents reportedly showed Brende had attended business dinners and exchanged communications with Epstein.
In his resignation statement, Brende said he believed the forum needed to continue its work “without distraction” and expressed gratitude for his eight-plus years of service.
The independent review reportedly did not uncover additional concerns beyond what had already been reported.
The forum named Alois Zwinggi as interim president and CEO while the Board of Trustees oversees a leadership transition.
The investigation and Brende’s departure have triggered renewed scrutiny of elite networks connected to Epstein.
