Borge Brende Resigns from World Economic Forum Amid Epstein Review

Borge Brende, the chairman and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF), announced his resignation on Thursday following a reassessment of his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Brende, who previously served as Norway’s Foreign Minister, noted that he became the WEF president in October 2017. In a statement, he explained that his decision to step down came after “careful consideration.” This comes on the heels of newly released documents from the Department of Justice indicating that he had attended three business dinners with Epstein and communicated with him through email and text messages.

Some emails from September 2018 revealed conversations between Brende and Epstein regarding the future of the WEF’s annual meeting in Davos, where Epstein suggested that this summit “could really replace the United Nations.” Additionally, in a June 2019 message, he sent Brende a photo of a woman he referred to as “Mr. Piggy.”

“After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as chairman and CEO of the World Economic Forum. My eight-and-a-half years here have been extremely rewarding,” Brende stated. He emphasized the success of recent events and the strong partnerships forged during his tenure. “Now is the right time for the Forum to continue its important work undisturbed,” he added.

Brende expressed gratitude towards his co-chairs, Andre Hoffman and Larry Fink, highlighting their support and partnership. He voiced pride in their shared achievements and looked forward to the Forum’s future under the interim leadership of Alois Zwingi.

The WEF referenced a news release when approached for comments on Brende’s resignation. In a joint statement, co-chairmen Hoffman and Fink thanked Brende for his significant contributions during a crucial phase of transformation for the organization, noting that they respect his resignation decision.

Alois Zwingi confirmed he would take over as interim president and CEO while the Board of Directors manages the transition and works on finding a permanent replacement.

The WEF had begun an investigation into Brende’s ties to Epstein earlier in February. Fink and Hoffman confirmed on Thursday that the independent investigation was completed, finding no further concerns beyond what had been disclosed.

Separately, former Harvard President Larry Summers resigned from his professorship due to his own connections to Epstein.