Borge Brende, president and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF), said on Thursday that he is stepping down from his position. His resignation comes a few weeks after the forum launched an independent investigation into his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Brende, who became president of the WEF in 2017, announced his decision in a statement after disclosures from the US Justice Department showed that he had three business dinners with Epstein. The disclosures also revealed that Brende had communicated with the disgraced financier through email and text messages, according to Reuters.
The co-chairs of the WEF said that Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim president and CEO. They added that the forum’s Board of Trustees will oversee the leadership transition and work on a plan to identify a permanent successor.
“After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. My time here, spanning 8-1/2 years, has been profoundly rewarding,” he said.
Who is Borge Brende?
Born in 1965, Borge Brende studied economics, law and history at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). Brende was a member of Norway’s Conservative Party and served as a Member of Parliament from 1997 to 2009. During his political career, he held several important government positions.
He served as Norway’s Minister of the Environment from 2001 to 2004 and later became Minister of Trade and Industry from 2004 to 2005. From 2013 to 2017, he served as Norway’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, where he handled major diplomatic issues including Russia’s annexation of Crimea and Norway’s relations with China.
Career at the World Economic Forum
Brende joined the World Economic Forum in 2008. He became managing director in 2011 and was appointed president and CEO in 2017. Before becoming president of the WEF, Brende served as secretary-general of the Norwegian Red Cross from 2009 to 2011. He also chaired the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development.