World Economic Forum president and CEO Borge Brende speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos on January 22, 2026. (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP) Borge Brende announced Thursday he was resigning as head of the World Economic Forum, which organises the annual Davos summit, after revelations of his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum,” the former Norwegian foreign minister said in a statement.
He said his 8.5 years at the helm had “been profoundly rewarding”, but that he believed “now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions”. The WEF earlier this month said it would conduct an independent review of Brende’s interactions with Epstein, after his name turned up dozens of times in the millions of documents released by the US Justice Department in the case of the convicted sex offender. Appearing in the released Epstein files does not in itself imply wrongdoing.
The WEF said Thursday that the review of Brende had concluded. “The findings stated that there were no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed,” it said. The organisation expressed “sincere appreciation for Borge Brende’s significant contributions to the World Economic Forum”, adding: “We respect his decision to step down.” WEF said that its managing director Alois Zwinggi had been appointed interim president and CEO while the board begins the process of finding a permanent successor for Brende.
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Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to procuring a child for prostitution and served 13 months of an 18-month sentence. He was facing charges of alleged sex trafficking when he killed himself in detention in 2019.
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