Geneva, Switzerland – February 26, 2026
Børge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF) since 2017, announced his immediate resignation on Wednesday following intense media scrutiny and internal pressure over previously undisclosed contacts with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
In a brief statement released by the WEF late Wednesday afternoon, Brende said he had informed the Foundation Board of his decision to step down with immediate effect “to protect the reputation and credibility of the organisation during a time when its mission and values must remain beyond question.”
The resignation comes just days after a Norwegian investigative news outlet, Dagens Næringsliv, published a detailed report documenting multiple email exchanges and text messages between Brende and Epstein between 2013 and 2017. The communications, obtained through court-ordered disclosures in the United States, show Brende responding to Epstein’s invitations to private dinners in New York and Paris, as well as discussing potential speakers and topics for WEF events. Several messages relate to Epstein’s interest in introducing Brende to high-net-worth individuals and academics.
While none of the released messages contain explicit references to Epstein’s criminal activities, the frequency and tone of the correspondence have raised questions about due diligence standards at the WEF during a period when Epstein was already a registered sex offender following his 2008 Florida conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution.
Brende, a former Norwegian Foreign Minister (2013–2017) and Minister of Trade and Industry (2004–2005), addressed the issue directly in his resignation letter:
“I deeply regret any association, however limited or professional in nature, with Jeffrey Epstein. At the time, he was presented to me as a well-connected philanthropist and financier interested in global issues. I was unaware of the full extent of his criminal conduct. Nevertheless, the association was a serious error of judgment. I have concluded that continuing in my role would distract from the Forum’s vital work and become a source of ongoing controversy. I therefore believe the responsible course is to step aside.”
The WEF Foundation Board, chaired by Klaus Schwab until his transition to a non-executive role in 2025, accepted Brende’s resignation with immediate effect. In a separate statement, the Board said it had “full confidence in the integrity of President Brende” but recognised that “perception and trust are central to the organisation’s ability to convene global leaders across sectors and ideologies.”
The Board announced that it has initiated a search for an interim CEO and will convene an extraordinary session next week to begin the process of selecting a permanent successor. No interim name has been put forward publicly.
The revelations have triggered widespread reactions. Several civil society organisations and campaign groups long critical of the WEF’s governance and funding model seized on the news to renew calls for greater transparency in the Forum’s leadership recruitment and vetting processes. Human rights advocates and Epstein survivors’ groups expressed disappointment that senior international figures continued to engage with Epstein years after his 2008 conviction became public knowledge.
In Norway, where Brende served as a prominent centre-right politician before joining the WEF, editorial comment was mixed. Several newspapers described his resignation as “the only honourable course,” while others argued that the contacts, while regrettable, fell short of justifying his departure from an organisation not directly implicated in Epstein’s crimes.
The Epstein connection is the second major reputational crisis to hit the WEF in recent years. In 2024–2025, the organisation faced criticism over its handling of allegations of misconduct at Davos events and perceived elitism during a global cost-of-living crisis.
Brende had been widely respected for professionalising the WEF’s operations, expanding its focus on sustainability and technology governance, and navigating the Forum through the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical upheaval. His tenure saw the annual Davos meeting grow in both scale and influence despite repeated calls for reform or outright abolition from anti-globalisation activists.
The timing of the resignation is particularly sensitive. The WEF is in the final stages of planning its 2026 Annual Meeting in Davos (scheduled for mid-January), and the organisation has been attempting to reposition itself as an indispensable platform for public-private cooperation on climate, AI governance, and economic inequality.
No successor has been named, and the Board has indicated that the search will prioritise candidates with strong diplomatic credentials, unimpeachable integrity, and the ability to rebuild trust among governments, civil society, and corporate stakeholders.
The WEF has not commented on whether Brende will receive any severance package or retain any honorary or advisory role. Brende himself has declined media requests for further comment beyond his formal resignation letter.
The episode is likely to fuel renewed debate about the vetting of global leaders and institutions that engage with controversial or high-risk individuals, especially in the wake of the Epstein files disclosures that have continued to emerge under the US Epstein Files Transparency Act.
As the WEF enters a period of leadership transition, questions remain about how quickly it can restore credibility and whether the organisation’s model of elite convening can survive in an era of increasing public scepticism toward global institutions.
