He said the forum had seen a record number of partners joining in and had recently concluded a successful annual meeting in Davos with expanded participation from global leaders.
Read more: Bill Gates admits to two affairs at foundation town hall, regrets meetings with Jeffrey Epstein“After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum,” Brende said. “I believe now is the right moment for the Forum to continue its important work without distractions.” He did not reference Epstein in his statement.
The move follows disclosures by the US Justice Department indicating that Brende had three business dinners with Epstein and had communicated with him via email and text message.
In a separate statement, co-chairs of WEF, André Hoffmann and Larry Fink, expressed appreciation for Brende’s leadership, particularly during what they described as a pivotal period of reforms for the organisation.
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They said an independent review conducted by external counsel into Brende’s ties with Epstein had concluded, with findings stating there were no additional concerns beyond what had previously been disclosed.
WEF announced that Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim president and CEO. The board of trustees will oversee the leadership transition and initiate a formal process to identify a permanent successor.
Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister, thanked the forum’s leadership and partners for their collaboration and expressed confidence in the organisation’s future direction.
First Published: Feb 26, 2026 5:43 PM IS
