Brende, who has led the Geneva-based forum since 2017, made the decision public following disclosures from the U.S. Justice Department indicating that he attended three business dinners with Jeffrey Epstein and exchanged emails and text messages with him, News.Az reports, citing Reuters.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. My time here, spanning 8-1/2 years, has been profoundly rewarding,” Brende said in a statement, which did not reference Epstein. He added that he believed it was the right time for the forum to continue its work “without distractions.”
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A former Norwegian foreign minister, Brende has maintained that he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal background when they first met in 2018 and said he regretted not conducting more thorough due diligence.
His resignation comes amid renewed scrutiny surrounding Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 of soliciting prostitution from a minor. In 2019, he died by suicide in jail while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges. The Justice Department has since released more than three million pages of documents related to the case.
The revelations have unsettled political and business elites globally. Epstein’s associations included high-profile figures such as U.S. President Donald Trump, former President Bill Clinton, and Tesla CEO Elon Musk. Overseas, the disclosures have also prompted criminal investigations involving Prince Andrew, among other prominent individuals.
In a separate statement, WEF co-chairs André Hoffmann and Larry Fink confirmed that the independent review conducted by external counsel into Brende’s relationship with Epstein had concluded. They said the findings identified no additional concerns beyond previously disclosed information.
The forum announced that Alois Zwinggi will assume the role of interim president and CEO. The WEF Board of Trustees will oversee the leadership transition and initiate a process to appoint a permanent successor.
