DAVOS, Feb 26 – The President and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF), Borge Brende, has resigned after a review into his links to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The forum ordered an independent review into Brende over his ties to the disgraced financier following the release of Epstein files by the US Department of Justice.
Brende has acknowledged he dined with Epstein three times between 2018 and 2019 and communicated with him by email and text, but said he was “completely unaware” of his past criminal activity.
The WEF said a review into his links to Epstein found “there were no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed”.
Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, has also said he regretted not having investigated Epstein more thoroughly.
The WEF holds an annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, which attracts political and business leaders from across the world.
In a statement on Thursday, Brende said he had decided to step down after more than eight years in the role following “careful consideration”.
“I believe now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions,” he said.
Epstein was convicted for soliciting prostitution from a minor in 2008, for which he was registered as a sex offender.
Being named in the Epstein files does not indicate criminality and Brende has not been accused of wrongdoing.
WEF co-chairs Andre Hoffmann and Larry Fink thanked Brende for his “significant contributions” and said they respected his decision.
Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim president and CEO while the organisation’s board of trustees oversees a process to identify a permanent successor, the WEF said.
Zwinggi had been a managing director on the WEF’s executive body.
A number of politicians, celebrities, business leaders and royals from across the world have faced scrutiny over their links to Epstein following the release of the latest tranche of files linked to US investigations into Epstein.
The files contain millions of private emails, images and FBI reports into Epstein, who died in 2019 while awaiting trial for sex trafficking.
Brende’s home country of Norway has seen several public figures drawn into the controversy, including Crown Princess Mette-Marit and diplomats Mona Juul and Terje Rød-Larsen.
Former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland was charged with “gross corruption” earlier this month over his ties with Epstein, police said.
