Børge Brende, president and chief executive of the World Economic Forum, resigned on Thursday following an independent investigation into his past contacts with the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Brende, who has led the Geneva-based organization since 2017, said his decision came after more than eight years in the role and amid scrutiny stemming from newly released U.S. Justice Department files detailing his communications with Epstein in 2018 and 2019.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum,” Brende said in a statement, adding that he believed it was the right moment for the forum to continue its work without distraction.
The World Economic Forum, best known for its annual Davos summit in Switzerland, launched the review earlier this month after the Justice Department released millions of pages of documents related to Epstein.
The disclosed files show that Brende attended three business dinners with Epstein and exchanged emails and text messages with him.
In one message after a dinner, Brende wrote: “thx for a very interesting dinner … You’re a brilliant host. Warmly, Borge,” and later added: “Missing you Sir. Borge.”
Other exchanges included discussions about Davos and potential attendees, as well as policy advice Epstein said he was offering to a Middle Eastern leader.
Brende has previously said he was unaware of Epstein’s criminal history before first meeting him in 2018 and expressed regret for not investigating more thoroughly.
According to the forum’s co-chairs, André Hoffmann and Larry Fink, the independent review conducted by outside counsel found no additional concerns beyond what had already been disclosed.
Alois Zwinggi, a managing director at the WEF, will serve as interim president and chief executive while the board oversees the search for a permanent successor.
Hoffmann and Fink thanked Brende for his leadership, saying his tenure included a period of organizational reform and a successful Davos meeting.
The resignation comes during a broader period of scrutiny for the forum, following the departure last year of founder Klaus Schwab amid internal governance questions.
The fallout from the Justice Department’s document release has also affected other prominent figures internationally, intensifying attention on institutions and leaders linked to Epstein.