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The President and CEO of the World Economic Forum, known for organizing the high-profile Davos conference, has stepped down following the release of emails linking him to Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced financier.
Børge Brende, previously Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and recently the head of the World Economic Forum (WEF), announced his resignation on Thursday. He stated that after “careful consideration,” he realized his continued leadership was becoming a distraction for the organization’s mission.
The most recent Davos gathering took place in January, attracting global political, business, and financial figures. While the forum is renowned for its high-level discussions, it also gained notoriety for its association with private jets and extravagant parties. This year, the event was notably disrupted by U.S. President Trump’s confrontational speech on tariffs that challenged the globalist agenda.
The attention on former WEF leader Brende intensified after the U.S. Department of Justice released emails a month ago, as reported by France’s Le Figaro. The emails revealed that Brende had met Jeffrey Epstein on three occasions and exchanged several communications with him between 2018 and 2019.
Brende defended himself, claiming ignorance of Epstein’s criminal background and insisting the meetings were solely for business purposes. However, these interactions occurred after Epstein had already served a prison sentence for child sex offenses and was facing new allegations of misconduct involving young women.
Their last encounter happened just months before Epstein’s death while he was incarcerated in the United States.
Far from being remote business contacts, the messages revealed in the emails suggested a closer relationship. The Financial Times notes Brende wrote to Epstein: “thx for a very interesting dinner … You’re a brilliant host. Warmly, Borge,” and said “Missing you Sir. Borge.”
Alleged messages said to have been unveiled in the email archive show Brende and Epstein discussing the Middle East and planning
Brende said today: “After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. My time here, spanning 8½ years, has been profoundly rewarding. We have seen a record number of partners join us, and we have had a very successful Annual Meeting in Davos behind us, where we engaged with governmental leaders from all over the world like never before. 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.”
Swiss businessman Alois Zwinggi has been chosen as his interim replacement.
WEF co-chairs André Hoffmann and Larry Fink said in a statement replying to the resignation that they appreciated Brende’s “significant contributions to the World Economic Forum”.
The WEF had launched an investigation into itself over Brende when the Epstein claims first emerged, to which Hoffman and Fink referred in their statement when they said the law firm it instructed to undertake the audit found ” no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed.”
The resignation is the latest fallout from the Epstein emails, which has seen Britain’s former royal prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and its former business minister, European Commissioner, and ambassador to the United States Lord Mandelson arrested. Police in Norway have raided the home of former Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize committee chair Thorbjorn Jagland over Epstein concerns.
The Epstein scandal has been considerably slower to find effect in the United States so far. Nevertheless, former President Clinton treasury secretary Larry Summers announced he was resigning his teaching position at Harvard this week and had earlier resigned from OpenAI after being named in earlier tranches of Epstein emails.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is due to appear before U.S. House lawmakers on Thursday to testify under oath on Epstein to the House Oversight Committee. The meeting is due to take place behind closed doors, as reported.
