World Economic Forum CEO Borge Brende resigns over Epstein revelations

World Economic Forum President and CEO Borge Brende resigned on Thursday, February 26, 2026, following the launch of an independent investigation by the Forum into his connections with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The resignation comes after disclosures from the U.S. Justice Department revealed that Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who has led the influential Davos organization since 2017, engaged in three business dinners with Epstein and maintained email and text communication with him. In his departure statement, which made no direct mention of Epstein, Brende cited a desire for the Forum to continue its work "without distractions" after his 8.5-year tenure.

The revelations add the head of one of the world's most prominent platforms for global elites to the long list of business and political figures entangled in the ongoing Epstein scandal. Brende has publicly stated he was unaware of Epstein's criminal history—which includes a 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor—when he first met him in 2018, expressing regret for not investigating him more thoroughly. His departure underscores the continuing fallout from the Epstein case, which has previously implicated figures from finance, academia, and even the British royal family, challenging the reputations of powerful institutions. The WEF now faces a leadership transition as it seeks to maintain its credibility and focus amid this significant distraction.