WEF President and CEO Børge Brende Resigns After Epstein Investigation

Børge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF), announced his resignation on Thursday following an independent investigation into his relationship with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Background of the Investigation

The forum initiated the independent review earlier this month after it became known that Brende had attended three business dinners with Epstein in 2018 and 2019. Emails also indicated communication between Brende and Epstein via text messages and emails. At least one of these dinners occurred at Epstein's New York home, weeks before Epstein's arrest on federal child sex trafficking charges. Epstein had previously pleaded guilty to soliciting sex from a minor in 2008.

In an earlier statement, Brende asserted he was "completely unaware of Epstein’s past and criminal activities" and expressed regret for not conducting a more thorough investigation into Epstein's history.

The independent review, now concluded, found no "additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed."

Broader Implications and Successor

No indication of wrongdoing by Brende was found, but his resignation adds him to a list of business leaders whose careers have been impacted by revelations from the "Epstein files," published by the US Justice Department. Other individuals affected include Tom Pritzker, Kathy Ruemmler, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, Leon Black, and Jes Staley. None of these individuals have been charged with wrongdoing.

The WEF co-chairs, Larry Fink and Andre Hoffmann, acknowledged Brende's contributions to the organization. Alois Zwinggi has been appointed as interim president and CEO while a permanent successor is sought.

Brende's departure follows that of WEF's founding chairman, Klaus Schwab, who stepped down less than a year prior amid whistleblower allegations. An investigation into Schwab's allegations concluded in August, finding "no evidence of material wrongdoing."