From Reuters, February 26:
- Norwegian had been WEF president since 2017
- Brende has said he was unaware of Epstein's criminal past
- WEF's Alois Zwinggi will serve as interim president and CEO
ZURICH, Feb 26 (Reuters) - The president and CEO of the World Economic Forum, Borge Brende, said he was stepping down on Thursday, a few weeks after the forum launched an independent investigation into his relationship with late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Brende, who became president of the WEF in 2017, announced his decision in a statement following disclosures from the U.S. Justice Department that showed the Norwegian had three business dinners with Epstein and had also communicated with the disgraced financier via email and text message.
"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," said Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister.Issued by the WEF, the statement made no mention of Epstein. However, Brende told Norwegian media he was sorry about how he had handled his dealings with the American and that he did not want the issue to be a distraction for the forum, which organises the annual Davos summit.Brende has previously said he was unaware of Epstein's past and criminal activities before first meeting him in 2018, and that he regretted not having investigated him more thoroughly.Brende's decision to quit follows a series of revelations relating to Epstein, who in 2008 was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor. The revelations have roiled business and political elites, and even the British royal family.INDEPENDENT REVIEW
In their own statement, Andre Hoffmann and Larry Fink, co-chairs of the Geneva-based WEF, said an independent review conducted by outside counsel into Brende's ties with Epstein had concluded and had found no additional concerns beyond what has already been disclosed....
....MUCH MORE
It's Børge, not Borge.
