Borge Brende has resigned as president and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF), and is stepping down after newly released documents by the Justice Department linked him to meetings and messages with the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Who is Borge Brende?
Borge Brende was born on September 25 in 1965 and built his early career in Norwegian politics as a member of the Conservative Party. He served as minister of the environment from 2001 to 2004, minister of trade and industry (2004-2005) and minister of foreign affairs from 2013 to 2017. He also represented the Sor-Trondelag region in parliament from 1997 to 2009. He studied economics, law and history at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.
Brende joined the World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2008 as managing director. After serving as secretary general of the Norwegian Red Cross from 2009 to 2011, he returned to the forum and became president and CEO in September 2017. He led the WEF known for its annual Davos meeting for more than eight years, supporting stronger international cooperation.
His time in office also included efforts to improve how the organization is run. In April 2025, the forum’s founder, Klaus Schwab, stepped down as chair following internal scrutiny. In August 2025, André Hoffmann and Larry Fink were appointed as co-chairs to oversee reforms aimed at improving transparency and governance.
How Brende was linked to Epstein
The controversy surrounding Brende began after the Justice Department released a vast set of documents connected to Epstein.
Jeffrey Epstein was found guilty in 2008 of paying a minor for prostitution. In 2019, he died by suicide in jail while waiting to face trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
The newly released files included iMessage chats and other communications between Brende and Epstein from 2018 to 2019. According to the reports, the documents show that they met for three formal dinners over two years and exchanged several emails and text messages.
Their discussions included references to Davos and other possible attendees. The messages also suggest that Epstein presented himself as someone who had connections to powerful global leaders.
In one message sent after a dinner in 2018, Brende wrote, “thx for a very interesting dinner … You’re a brilliant host. Warmly, Borge,” later adding, “Missing you Sir. Borge.”
In another exchange, after Epstein described advice he was providing to a Middle Eastern leader, Brende replied, “Concur. I’m glad you’re giving him council.”
Before the additional documents were released, Brende had publicly stated in November 2025 that he had never met Epstein.
After the files became public, he revised his statement saying he had not been aware of Epstein’s criminal background and that their interactions were limited to three dinners over two years.
Other messages suggested Epstein sought introductions and influence connected to the WEF, often mentioning Davos as a key access point to global leaders.
Norwegian media later asked Brende about the gap between his earlier public statement and what the documents showed. The situation raised questions about judgment and background checks, especially since Epstein had been convicted in 2008 and his past had been widely reported.
Brende’s resignation is seen as an important moment for the World Economic Forum as it works to improve governance and rebuild public trust.
