Founder of the World Economic Forum claims internal deal was violated after Swiss press published excerpts supporting allegations against him.

GENEVA — The founder and executive chairman of the World Economic Forum, Klaus Schwab, has publicly accused the WEF board of violating a confidential agreement regarding media restraint, after excerpts from a confidential internal investigation were leaked to the Swiss press.

The revelations come amid an ongoing inquiry into Schwab’s conduct during his decades at the helm of the influential global organization. The initial findings, as reported by Swiss daily *Neue Zürcher Zeitung*, appear to support some of the allegations raised against Schwab — though details remain limited due to legal constraints surrounding the case.

In a strongly worded statement released through his legal team, Schwab condemned the board’s actions as a ‘serious breach of trust and governance.’ He claims the board had previously agreed to refrain from public comment or information leaks until the investigation concluded. ‘This premature exposure undermines the integrity of both the process and the institution itself,’ said the statement.

The WEF board has so far declined to comment directly on the leak, but a spokesperson emphasized the organization’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and due process. The internal probe, which began earlier this year, was initiated after multiple anonymous complaints were lodged concerning workplace conduct and alleged misuse of organizational resources.

While Schwab has not been formally charged with any wrongdoing, the growing scrutiny threatens to cast a long shadow over his legacy. Under his leadership, the WEF became a fixture in global economic and political discourse, attracting world leaders, CEOs, and civil society actors to its annual gathering in Davos.

Analysts suggest that the breach may deepen divisions within the organization’s leadership and raise questions about the WEF’s internal governance structures. Some have called for greater board independence and the establishment of an external ethics body.

For now, Klaus Schwab remains defiant. ‘I stand by my record and welcome a full, fair, and confidential investigation,’ he said. But with media interest intensifying and additional disclosures rumored to be forthcoming, the WEF finds itself in an unaccustomed spotlight — one shaped not by geopolitics, but by its own internal strife.