Borge Brende Resigns as World Economic Forum Chief Over Epstein Links

Geneva: Borge Brende, the president and chief executive of the World Economic Forum (WEF), announced his resignation Thursday amid mounting pressure over his past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who led the Geneva-based forum since 2017, said he was stepping down “after careful consideration,” stressing his belief that the organisation should be able to pursue its work without distraction. He did not explicitly mention Epstein in his resignation statement.

The decision follows disclosures from the US Department of Justice showing that Brende had attended several business dinners with Epstein and exchanged emails and texts — details that emerged in the extensive release of documents tied to the disgraced financier. Although Brende has maintained he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal history when they met, the revelations triggered intense media and political scrutiny.

The WEF had earlier commissioned an independent review into Brende’s links with Epstein. Forum co-chairs Andre Hoffmann and Larry Fink said that the review found no new concerns beyond already disclosed interactions, but the controversy was seen as a reputational burden for the organisation.

WEF Managing Director Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim president and CEO while the board’s trustees begin the process of identifying a permanent replacement. The leadership change comes amid broader fallout from the Epstein files revelations, which have drawn attention to the extensive network of powerful figures who engaged with Epstein before his 2019 death.

Brende’s resignation marks one of the most high-profile departures tied to the Epstein disclosures, illustrating how the aftershocks of the scandal continue to affect global institutions and prominent leaders.