The president and CEO of the World Economic Forum was ripped from power as his name gets exposed in the Epstein scandal

Børge Brende, who has been the president and CEO of the World Economic Forum since 2017, has officially stepped down from his role. This move comes after his name became entangled in the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Brende announced his decision in a statement on the WEF website, explaining that he made the choice “after careful consideration.” He reflected on his time there, stating that his 8.5 years had been “profoundly rewarding.” However, he made no mention of the information in the Epstein files or his connection to the offender. Brende is the latest European political figure to step down for his connections to the scandal, while the fallout has not touched the U.S. yet.

According to Politico, the forum had actually launched an investigation into Brende in early February. This happened after his relationship with Epstein came to light through the latest document release by the U.S. Justice Department. 

Brende said he didn’t know Epstein, but that was a lie

Initially, Brende, who previously served as Norway’s foreign minister, had denied knowing Epstein back in November. However, it was revealed that he had dined with Epstein three times during 2018 and 2019. The two also exchanged texts and emails. 

Following these recent revelations, the former Davos chief admitted to knowing Epstein, but he maintained that he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal activities. He even stated that he wished he had investigated Epstein’s background more thoroughly.

The World Economic Forum also confirmed in the same statement that their internal investigation had concluded. They found “no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed.” 

Brende himself added that with a “very successful Annual Meeting in Davos” behind them, where they engaged with governmental leaders, he felt it was the “right moment for the forum to continue its important work without distractions.” Interestingly, he had just interviewed President Donald Trump at this year’s forum. 

Brende’s departure marks yet another high-profile Norwegian caught up in the fallout from the Epstein files. Some noteworthy mentions to the growing list of names are former Norwegian Prime Minister Thorbjørn Jagland, who was placed under police investigation earlier this month, and Norway’s ambassador to Jordan and Iraq Mona Juul, who resigned from her duties. Even Crown Princess Mette-Marit got caught up in the controversy. 

For now, the World Economic Forum has announced that Alois Zwinggi, who is currently the forum’s managing director, will be stepping into the role of interim president and CEO. Additionally, the forum’s Board of Trustees will oversee the leadership transition, including a plan to drive a process to identify a permanent successor.