World Economic Forum (WEF) President Børge Brende has announced his resignation from the position.

In a statement released by the forum's press service, Brende stated that he made the decision to step down in the organization's interest to allow it to continue working "without distractions." He has led the WEF since 2017 and also served as CEO since 2025.

The resignation comes amid media reports linking his name to financier Jeffrey Epstein. Reuters reports that the U.S. Department of Justice previously released documents mentioning three business dinners and exchanges of electronic and text messages.

Forum co-chairs Andre Hoffmann and Larry Fink, whose comments are also included in the WEF statement, noted that an independent review found no additional "circumstances" beyond what was previously known. The nature and format of the review were not specified in the statement.

Alois Zwinggi will temporarily assume the duties of the forum head. The Board of Trustees has initiated the process of searching for a permanent leader and preparing for the transition of authority.

Source: kun.uz