World Economic Forum head Borge Brende quits after Epstein links revealed

Borge Brende has resigned from his roles as the president and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF), following revelations of his links with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who became president of the WEF in 2017, announced his departure on Thursday, joining the ranks of prominent figures to have left their jobs or faced criminal investigations after their contacts with Epstein were revealed in files released by the US Department of Justice last month. “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 made no mention of Epstein. “I am grateful for the incredible collaboration with my colleagues, partners, and constituents, and I believe now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions.” Brende’s departure came several weeks after the WEF, organiser of the annual Davos summit,⁠ launched an independent investigation into his relationship with Epstein, following revelations in the files that the Norwegian had three business dinners with the financier and had also communicated with him via email and text message. Epstein was convicted of procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008, spending about a year in prison before his release.

His contacts with a network of wealthy and influential figures continued in the wake of his conviction until an investigation into the wealthy financier was reopened in 2019. Epstein died by suicide in prison that year while facing charges of sex trafficking underage girls. Brende said in a statement earlier this month that during a visit to New York in 2018, he received an invitation from former Norwegian politician Terje Rod-Larsen to join him for dinner with several other leaders, plus “someone who was presented to me as an American investor, Jeffrey Epstein”.

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“The following year, I attended two similar dinners with Epstein, alongside other diplomats and business leaders. These dinners, and a few emails and SMS messages, were the extent of my interactions with him,” he said. “I was completely unaware of Epstein’s past and criminal activities.” He said that had he known about Epstein’s background, he would have declined any contact with the convicted sex offender, adding that he regretted not having conducted a more thorough investigation into his past. In a separate statement, Andre Hoffmann and Larry Fink, co-chairs of the WEF, said the independent review ⁠conducted by outside counsel into Brende’s ties with Epstein had concluded.

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