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Allegations have surfaced against Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF), accusing him of manipulating the organization’s research to gain favor with governments. These claims, brought forth by a whistleblower, reportedly led to Schwab’s resignation as chairman over the Easter weekend.
The accusations are detailed in a whistleblower letter sent to the WEF board of trustees, prompting the organization to initiate an investigation. Schwab has criticized former colleagues for accepting what he refers to as “calumnious” and “unfounded” allegations without seeking his response.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Schwab described himself as a victim of “character assassination” and denied all allegations, which also included claims of misusing WEF funds and asking staff to promote his candidacy for a Nobel Peace Prize.
According to the anonymous whistleblower letter, Schwab allegedly compromised the integrity of the WEF by altering its “global competitiveness report.” This report evaluates countries on productivity and resilience and plays a significant role in forming discussions at the annual Davos meeting of world leaders and chief executives.
Schwab rebutted claims of changing the report’s methodology due to government dissatisfaction with rankings, stating he had developed the report’s methodology in 1979 and continued to engage with it to ensure its credibility. He mentioned that some governments provided feedback to correct data or analysis, and this information was passed along to the teams.
Beyond these new allegations, other claims emerged last year suggesting Schwab oversaw a toxic workplace culture at WEF, where issues such as sexual harassment and discrimination against Black and female employees were not adequately addressed. However, in March, an investigation reported to WEF sponsors found no legal violations by the forum and did not substantiate the misconduct claims against Schwab.
Previously, the Financial Times reported that Schwab intended to step down as chairman by January 2027, a plan complicated by the new allegations. The WEF has declined to comment extensively on the latest accusations pending the investigation’s outcome, stating that while it takes the allegations seriously, they remain unproven.
Schwab also denied claims about him and his wife, Hilde, allegedly misusing WEF resources for personal use, such as using the organization’s properties and having junior staff withdraw cash on his behalf, labeling these as “pure lies” and announcing a defamation lawsuit against his anonymous accusers.
Furthermore, Schwab addressed the notion of using WEF staff to lobby for a Nobel Peace Prize, asserting that he had explicitly asked not to be nominated. Schwab did not provide a comment upon request.
