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Thu, 26 Feb 2026

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 World Economic Forum boss quits after review of Epstein links

Brende acknowledged communications with Epstein but said he was "completely unaware" of his past criminal activity.

* Borge Brende, President and CEO of World Economic Forum (WEF), has resigned after an independent review into his links to Jeffrey Epstein.
* The review found no additional concerns beyond what was previously disclosed, but Brende acknowledged he was "completely unaware" of Epstein's past crimes.
* He regretted not investigating Epstein more thoroughly and decided to step down after over 8 years in the role due to potential distractions.
* WEF co-chairs thanked Brende for his contributions and said they respected his decision.
* An interim president and CEO, Alois Zwinggi, will take over while a permanent successor is identified.