July 20, 2025
Preliminary findings from a probe into World Economic Forum founder Klaus Schwab reveal that he allegedly manipulated the landmark Global Competitiveness Report to serve political interests and sent lewd emails to younger employees, Swiss newspaper SonntagsZeitung reported on Sunday.
The probe also showed that his wife allegedly billed trips to the WEF despite holding no official position with the organization, according to the report.
These findings appear to corroborate allegations contained in a whistleblower letter, which accused Schwab of financial misconduct — including misuse of WEF funds and inappropriate treatment of employees...
The competitiveness report was discontinued during the Covid-19 pandemic...
Official documents cited by SonntagsZeitung allege that Schwab intervened multiple times to alter or suppress unfavorable rankings for certain countries, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa and in India, allegedly to preserve diplomatic relations or avoid political fallout. In one instance, Schwab reportedly recommended shelving a negative report after discussing it with a government official, according to the newspaper.
The investigation also reportedly concerns up to 900,000 Swiss francs in expenses filed by Schwab and his wife, Hilde.