World Economic Forum chief Borge Brende quits amid probe into Epstein ties
India Today
Borge Brende, President and CEO of the World Economic Forum, has stepped down amid scrutiny over his past interactions with Jeffrey Epstein.
The president and chief executive of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende, announced on Thursday that he is stepping down, weeks after the organisation launched an independent review into his past interactions with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Brende, who took over the top role at the Geneva based forum in 2017, made the announcement after disclosures from the Justice Department showed he had attended three business dinners with Epstein and had communicated with him via email and text messages.
“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,” Brende said in a statement.
“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,” he added. Brende, who previously served as Norway’s foreign minister, did not refer to Epstein in his remarks.
In a separate communication, WEF co chairs Andre Hoffmann and Larry Fink said an independent review conducted by outside counsel into Brende’s relationship with Epstein had been completed.
According to the findings, there were no additional concerns beyond what had already been disclosed publicly.
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