The President and CEO of the World Economic Forum, the convenor of the infamous annual Davos globalism conference, has resigned after Epstein email releases revealed his links to the disgraced financier.
Former Norwegian Minister of Foreign Affairs and leader of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Børge Brende announced his resignation from the top pro-globalisation group on Thursday, stating that after “careful consideration” he had concluded his remaining at the top was proving a distraction for the work of the group.
The WEF’s latest Davos conference took place in January. Long one of the world’s most prominent forums for political, business, and financial leaders but associated as much with the prevalence of prostitution and private jets as with deal-making, the meeting was rocked this year by the arrival of U.S. President Trump, who parked his metaphorical tanks on the globalist lawn with a speech focussing on tariffs.
France’s Le Figaro notes attention honed in on erstwhile WEF boss Brende after the U.S. Department of Justice published the Epstein emails a month ago, which showed the Norwegian diplomat had met with Epstein three times and exchanged several messages with him between 2018 and 2019.
While Brende defended himself as not knowing about Epstein’s past and stating the meetings were purely business-related, they took place after the disgraced financier had served a prison term for child sex offences and had frequently been in the headlines as he faced allegations over further abuses against young women.
Their final meeting was only months before Epstein’s death in an American prison.
Far from being remote business contacts, the messages revealed in the emails suggested a closer relationship. The Financial Times notes Brende wrote to Epstein: “thx for a very interesting dinner … You’re a brilliant host. Warmly, Borge,” and said “Missing you Sir. Borge.”
Alleged messages said to have been unveiled in the email archive show Brende and Epstein discussing the Middle East and planning
Brende said today: “After careful consideration, I have decided to step down as President and CEO of the World Economic Forum. My time here, spanning 8½ years, has been profoundly rewarding. We have seen a record number of partners join us, and we have had a very successful Annual Meeting in Davos behind us, where we engaged with governmental leaders from all over the world like never before. 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.”
Swiss businessman Alois Zwinggi has been chosen as his interim replacement.
WEF co-chairs André Hoffmann and Larry Fink said in a statement replying to the resignation that they appreciated Brende’s “significant contributions to the World Economic Forum”.
The WEF had launched an investigation into itself over Brende when the Epstein claims first emerged, to which Hoffman and Fink referred in their statement when they said the law firm it instructed to undertake the audit found ” no additional concerns beyond what has been previously disclosed.”
The resignation is the latest fallout from the Epstein emails, which has seen Britain’s former royal prince Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, and its former business minister, European Commissioner, and ambassador to the United States Lord Mandelson arrested. Police in Norway have raided the home of former Prime Minister and Nobel Peace Prize committee chair Thorbjorn Jagland over Epstein concerns.
The Epstein scandal has been considerably slower to find effect in the United States so far. Nevertheless, former President Clinton treasury secretary Larry Summers announced he was resigning his teaching position at Harvard this week and had earlier resigned from OpenAI after being named in earlier tranches of Epstein emails.
Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is due to appear before U.S. House lawmakers on Thursday to testify under oath on Epstein to the House Oversight Committee. The meeting is due to take place behind closed doors, as reported.
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