Klaus Schwab resigns as World Economic Forum chair

Klaus Schwab has stepped down as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the World Economic Forum amid allegations of misusing WEF resources, which he denies, and reports of a toxic internal culture within the globalist cabal.

 

AP Photo/Markus Schreiber

Klaus Schwab, founder and longtime face of the World Economic Forum, has resigned as chair of its trustees. The forum did not explain his resignation.

“Following my recent announcement, and as I enter my 88th year, I have decided to step down from the position of Chair and as a member of the Board of Trustees, with immediate effect,” Schwab said in a statement.

Peter Brabeck-Letmathe, an ex-Nestlé CEO, who famously said water was not a human right, will serve as interim chairman as the WEF searches for Schwab's replacement.

Schwab, born in Germany, founded the WEF in 1971 to facilitate discussion between policymakers and corporate leaders on global issues. 

Davos became an annual January event where leaders from politics, business, and entertainment met in Switzerland to discuss the upcoming year's agenda. 

Despite Schwab’s departure, the group says it will continue its mission to bring leaders together to exchange ideas and work together.

“At a time when the world is undergoing rapid transformation, the need for inclusive dialogue to navigate complexity and shape the future has never been more critical,” reads the WEF statement.

The WEF, located near Lake Geneva, has also faced negative reports about its internal culture.

The organization denied harassment and discrimination allegations, but the Wall Street Journal reported that its board hired a law firm to investigate its workplace culture.

The founder resigned following accusations of misusing WEF resources, which he denies.

Rebel News has frequently covered the gathering, widely criticized on both left and right as elitist and detached from the lives of ordinary people.

Schwab predicted globalization's backlash before 2016's Brexit and Trump's win, which were linked to discontent with the economic status quo.

The WEF was particularly shaken by the 2009 global financial crisis, the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, and more protectionist U.S. trade policies.

“A mounting backlash against [globalization’s] effects, especially in the industrial democracies, is threatening a very disruptive impact on economic activity and social stability in many countries,” penned Schwab in a 1996 column. 

“The mood in these democracies is one of helplessness and anxiety, which helps explain the rise of a new brand of populist politicians.”

Schwab proposed that the world's population should replace meat with insect-based proteins in their diets. 

He also promoted “global governance” as the “only real solution” to the world’s problems.

Schwab was proud that the WEF had influenced governments globally, specifically mentioning Canada and former prime minister Justin Trudeau, a graduate of the WEF's young leaders' program.

“Trudeau, for example, half of his cabinet, or even more, are actually Young Global Leaders of the World Economic Forum,” he said during a 2017 WEF conference.

Chrystia Freeland, a former deputy prime minister, was on the WEF's board of directors.

Schwab also coined "the great reset," promoting economic change during COVID-19 trade shutdowns.

Schwab, in his co-authored book, "COVID-19: The Great Reset," saw the pandemic as a unique opportunity to reshape the world. World leaders, including Trudeau, Biden, and King Charles, echoed this sentiment.

The WEF's "Great Reset" promotional video predicted the end of private ownership and a transition to a renting economy by 2030.

“You’ll own nothing, and you’ll be happy,” the video stated. It received widespread criticism for presenting a dystopian socialist vision of the future. 

Please donate to support our mission to shine a light on the World Economic Forum!

Rebel News is sending a team of six journalists and videographers to Davos, Switzerland to expose the global elites at this year's Annual General Meeting of the World Economic Forum. Our team is sharing a single economical Airbnb located an hour away from Davos, as every hotel room in the city is booked up by the elites. We're walking and taking the train to and from Davos daily to save money. Between economy class flights, the shared Airbnb, train tickets, meals, and a lot of coffee, this project will cost Rebel News more than $50,000. Please chip in to help us cover these costs so that we can bring you this exclusive reporting.

Amount
$

Alex Dhaliwal

Journalist and Writer

Alex Dhaliwal is a Political Science graduate from the University of Calgary. He has actively written on relevant Canadian issues with several prominent interviews under his belt.

Help fund Alex's journalism!

COMMENTS

Showing 4 Comments

Please check your e-mail for a link to activate your account.
  • Fran g
    commented 2025-04-25 19:57:50 -0400
    I’m sure there are many monsters to choice from, sadly. I wish you would have included Carnage Carney in WEF for the people who are still undecided who to vote for Monday
  • Clint Holmes
    commented 2025-04-24 13:53:37 -0400
    I say someone in the military who cares about freedoms and not ending up a Glibalust run World should launch a few Missiles at WEF headquarters in Switzerland, they have proven with the WEF that they are NOT in fact Neutral
  • Bernhard Jatzeck
    commented 2025-04-23 21:48:21 -0400
    Oh, dear, caught dipping his hand in the till, was he?
  • Bruce Atchison
    commented 2025-04-23 18:41:36 -0400
    Klaus Schwab’s next appointment will be in hell. He’s worked so hard for his place there. Sadly, many folks we’d call nice are headed there.