Børge Brende, who has faced scrutiny due to the revelation of links between him and the late Jeffrey Epstein, is stepping down from his role as World Economic Forum president and CEO.
"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," Brende said in a statement.
Disclosures by the U.S. Justice Department indicated that Brende had attended three business dinners with Epstein and engaged him in communications through email and texts, according to Reuters.
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"In light of these interactions, the Governing Board requested the Audit and Risk Committee to look into the matter, which subsequently decided to initiate an independent review," the WEF noted in a statement earlier this month. "This decision underscores the Forum's commitment to transparency and maintaining its integrity."
In the statement about Brende's departure, the globalist body noted, "The independent review conducted by outside counsel has concluded. The findings stated that there were no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed."
WEF's co-chairs André Hoffmann and Larry Fink said in a statement on behalf of the board of trustees that they wanted "to express our sincere appreciation for Børge Brende's significant contributions to the World Economic Forum."
"His dedication and leadership have been instrumental during a pivotal period of reforms for the organization, leading to a successful annual meeting in Davos. We respect his decision to step down," they said.
"We are pleased to announce that Alois Zwinggi will serve as Interim President and CEO and looking forward to his continued collaboration and partnership over time," Hoffmann and Fink added. "The Board of Trustees will oversee the leadership transition including the plan to drive a proper process to identify a permanent successor."
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Brende asserted in a statement that he met Epstein while attending a dinner that former Norwegian Deputy Prime Minister Terje Rod-Larsen invited him to, according to Reuters.
Brende noted that he later went to two similar dinners that included Epstein and that those dinners plus "a few emails and SMS messages" comprised the full scope of his engagements with Epstein, according to the outlet.
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"I was completely unaware of Epstein's past and criminal activities," Brende noted, according to the outlet.
"Had I known about his background, I would have declined the initial invitation to join Rod-Larsen and any subsequent dinner invitations or other communications," he said.
