By John Revill
ZURICH, Feb 5 (Reuters) - The World Economic Forum has launched an independent investigation into its CEO Borge Brende to clarify his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, the organisation said on Thursday.
The Geneva-based organiser of the Davos summit said it was looking into disclosures from the U.S. Justice Department that showed Brende had had three business dinners with Epstein and had also communicated with the disgraced financier via email and text message.
"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 WEF said in a statement.
"This decision underscores the Forum's commitment to transparency and maintaining its integrity," it added.
The WEF said Brende, a former Norwegian foreign minister who has been CEO since 2017, fully supported the review, which he had requested himself.
Brende said in a statement he met Epstein in 2018 at a dinner in New York that he had been invited to by former Norwegian Deputy Prime Minister Terje Rod-Larsen.
Brende said he attended two similar dinners in 2019 with Epstein along with diplomats and business leaders, but these events, along with "a few emails and SMS messages" were the full extent of their interaction.
"I was completely unaware of Epstein's past and criminal activities," Brende said in the statement, adding the he regretted not conducting a more thorough investigation into Epstein before meeting him.
"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," Brende added.
He will continue his duties as CEO while outside counsel carry out the investigation, the WEF said.
(Reporting by John Revill; Editing by Gareth Jones and Andrew Heavens)
