Børge Brende, the head of the World Economic Forum, said Thursday that he is stepping down after pressure related to his contacts with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, according to a statement released by the forum. Brende, who previously served as Norway’s foreign minister, said he decided “after careful consideration” to end his role as president and chief executive.
Brende’s statement said he was grateful for the work with colleagues, partners and constituents, and he said the timing was right for the forum to proceed “without distractions.” The World Economic Forum, known for its annual January summit in the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos, said it would continue its work following the leadership change.
The forum’s decision comes after it said earlier this month that it was opening an internal review into Brende’s relationship with Epstein, prompted by information in Epstein files. The forum said the files indicated Brende had dined together with Epstein several times and exchanged messages.
Brende told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that he was cooperating with the investigation at the time and said he only met Epstein in business settings. He also told NRK that he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal background, according to the Associated Press.
After the internal review, the WEF said its co-chairs André Hoffmann and Larry Fink announced the results in a statement. Hoffmann and Fink said the review conducted by outside counsel concluded there were no additional concerns beyond what had previously been disclosed.
In the same statement, the World Economic Forum said Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim president and chief executive. Brende did not refer directly to the Epstein controversy in his resignation statement, the report said.
As Epstein files have continued to circulate, Brende became one of several prominent Norwegians to face scrutiny related to Epstein ties, the Associated Press reported.