World Economic Forum Chief Borge Brende Resigns Amid Epstein Controversy

World Economic Forum president and CEO Borge Brende speaks during the World Economic Forum (WEF) annual meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on Jan. 22, 2026. Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty ImagesWorld Economic Forum (WEF) President and Chief Executive Borge Brende announced on Feb. 26 that he is stepping down, following mounting scrutiny over his past contacts with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who has led the forum since 2017, said in a Feb. 26 statement that he had decided “after careful consideration” to resign from the organization best known for its annual January summit in the Swiss Alpine resort of Davos.