Børge Brende, the long-serving president and CEO of the World Economic Forum (WEF), has announced his resignation following an independent review into his association with Jeffrey Epstein. Brende led the organization, known for hosting the annual Davos conference, for over eight years. The decision to step down was made to allow the Forum to continue its operations without distractions related to the matter. Earlier this year, emails released by the U.S. Department of Justice revealed that Brende had dinner with Epstein on three occasions in 2018 and 2019. The WEF initiated an independent investigation into these ties, and the findings, made public in February, stated that no further concerns emerged beyond the already disclosed meetings. In a statement earlier this month, Brende expressed that he was completely unaware of Epstein’s criminal history. The WEF co-chairs, André Hoffman and Larry Fink, confirmed that Alois Zwinggi will assume the role of interim president and CEO. The organization continues to monitor the situation as it moves forward.