The World Economic Forum (WEF) has launched an independent investigation into its President and Chief Executive Officer, Borge Brende, following disclosures linking him to meetings and communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The Geneva-based organisation, best known for convening global political and business leaders at its annual Davos summit, said the probe was initiated after documents released by the United States Department of Justice revealed that Brende attended three business dinners with Epstein and exchanged emails and text messages with him.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the WEF said its Governing Board mandated the Audit and Risk Committee to review the matter, a process that led to the decision to commission an external, independent investigation.
“In light of these interactions, the Governing Board requested the Audit and Risk Committee to look into the matter, which subsequently decided to initiate an independent review,” the organisation said.
“This decision underscores the Forum’s commitment to transparency and maintaining its integrity,” the statement added.
The WEF confirmed that Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who has led the organisation since 2017, supports the investigation and personally requested that the matter be independently examined. He will, however, continue in his role while the review is conducted by external legal counsel.
Providing his own account, Brende said his first contact with Epstein occurred in 2018 at a dinner in New York, following an invitation from former Norwegian Deputy Prime Minister Terje Rød-Larsen. He explained that he later attended two similar dinners in 2019, which were also attended by diplomats and business leaders.
According to Brende, those meetings, alongside “a few emails and SMS messages,” represented the full extent of his interaction with Epstein.
“I was completely unaware of Epstein’s past and criminal activities,” Brende said, expressing regret that he had not conducted more extensive background checks before accepting the invitations.
“Had I known about his background, I would have declined the initial invitation to join Rod Larsen and any subsequent dinner invitations or other communications,” he added.
The development places the World Economic Forum under renewed scrutiny, as global institutions continue to confront reputational fallout linked to Epstein’s extensive network of influential figures. Epstein, who was convicted in 2008 for soliciting sex from a minor, died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex-trafficking charges.
For Nigerian policymakers, business leaders and civil society actors who regularly engage with WEF platforms and initiatives, the probe highlights growing global expectations around due diligence, accountability and ethical leadership at the highest levels of international governance.
The WEF said it would make the findings of the independent review known at the appropriate time, stressing that the process is aimed at safeguarding public trust in the organisation and its leadership.
