The head of Dubai-based logistics group DP World has left his post after revelations over his links with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein put the state-backed company under pressure to take action.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem’s exit as chairman and chief executive comes after freshly-released files showed the Emirati mogul appears to have exchanged hundreds of emails with Epstein over the span of a decade.
In a statement on Friday that did not mention Sulayem, the Dubai government announced that Essa Kazim, a veteran of the UAE’s financial sector, had been named chair of DP world.
Yuvraj Narayan, who was previously chief financial officer, was named its chief executive officer.
DP world said his resignation was “effective immediately” on Friday and a picture of Sulayem appeared to have been removed from its website.
Pressure from businesses
The company, which runs ports terminals across six continents and plays a significant role in global trade infrastructure, has faced mounting pressure in recent days from companies it works with.
Earlier this week, two of the group’s largest international partners, Canada’s La Caisse pension fund and the UK’s development finance arm British International Investment (BII) said that they would halt future deals with DP World.
BII said the freeze would remain in place “until the required actions have been taken by the company”, and on Friday noted that it welcomed the decision to and looked forward “to resuming our partnership”.
La Caisse added that DP World had taken “the appropriate measures”.
Prince William’s Earthshot prize, which received funding from DP World, was reported to the UK Charity Commission after Sulayem appeared in the files.
“Six powerful men”
The files released by the Department of Justice detailed the messages between the two men about sexual experiences and Sulayem’s role helping to arrange training for a “masseuse” from Epstein’s “private spa”.
The men appear to have traded images while discussing people they had relations with, as well as sharing lists for massage and escort services in various cities.
They also indicate that Esptein introduced Sulayem to various international figures from both political and business spheres by email, and discussed business ideas around the world, including for Dubai to launch an “Islamic digital currency”.
Epstein also described Sulayem as “one of his most trusted friends” in an email from June 2013.
The two apparently stayed in contact until at least 2017, despite Epstein’s first criminal conviction in 2008 for soliciting and procuring a person under the age of 18 for prostitution.
Sulayem was also accused by two US lawmakers, Democrat Ro Khanna and Republican Thomas Massie, of being one of the “six powerful men” who were associated with the disgraced financier.
The congressmen say they improperly redacted.
DP World’s global rise
Sulayem was one of the most senior business figures in the Gulf, helping transform DP World over four decades from an operator at the emirate’s Jebel Ami port into one of the world’s largest logistic companies.
The group owns six ports in Canada, as well as the fast-growing London Gateway logistics hub and infrastructure projects ranging from Latin America and Asia.
DP World has also made significant efforts to boost its brand across the world, sponsoring Formula 1, golf’s European tour and various cricket ventures.
Being mentioned in the files is not a sign of any wrongdoing.
