The World Economic Forum (WEF) announced on Tuesday that it has launched an investigation into its founder Klaus Schwab following a whistleblower letter that raised concerns about misconduct.
The investigation was revealed just one day after Schwab, 87, resigned as chairman of the organization, effective immediately, without providing an explanation.
According to a report from The WSJ, the whistleblower letter, sent to the WEF’s board last week, alleges improper mixing of Schwab’s personal affairs with the forum’s resources, as well as concerns about governance and workplace culture. The WEF has confirmed that it is taking the allegations seriously but emphasized that they remain unproven and that no further comment would be made until the investigation is complete.
A spokesperson for the Schwab family has denied the allegations, saying that Schwab plans to pursue legal action against the anonymous whistleblower and anyone who spreads “falsehoods.”
In recent years, the WEF’s annual gathering in Davos has faced criticism from both political sides, with detractors accusing it of being an elitist forum out of touch with the concerns of ordinary people. Additionally, the forum has been under scrutiny for its internal culture, with previous reports alleging harassment and discrimination, which the WEF has denied.
The forum’s board is currently working with a law firm to investigate these workplace culture concerns.
