Børge Brende has stepped down as president and CEO of the World Economic Forum following disclosures about his past contact with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Brende, who led the Geneva-based organization since 2017, announced his resignation after U.S. Justice Department releases showed he had three business dinners with Epstein and exchanged emails and text messages with him between 2018 and 2019.
An independent review commissioned by the WEF’s board found no additional concerns beyond the already disclosed interactions. Brende said he regretted how he handled the relationship and did not want the issue to distract from the forum’s work, including its annual Davos summit.
Text messages included in the released files showed a cordial tone, with Brende describing Epstein as a “brilliant host.” Their final communication occurred about a week before Epstein’s 2019 arrest on sex-trafficking charges. Epstein died by suicide in jail later that year.
WEF co-chairs Andre Hoffmann and Larry Fink thanked Brende for his leadership. Managing Director Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim president and CEO while the Board of Trustees oversees the transition and searches for a permanent successor.
Brende’s departure follows broader scrutiny of public figures linked to Epstein, including U.S. political leaders and members of the British royal family. It also comes after the 2025 exit of WEF founder Klaus Schwab, who left amid separate misconduct allegations that the forum later said were not substantiated.
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