Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the long-serving chairman and chief executive of DP World, one of the world’s largest ports and logistics operators, has resigned with immediate effect following the public revelation of his past communications with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
DP World announced the departure in a brief statement on Friday, confirming that bin Sulayem was stepping down from both roles.
The company, majority-owned by the Dubai government, quickly named replacements: Essa Kazim as chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as group CEO.
The resignation comes after the U.S. Department of Justice released additional Epstein-related files in recent weeks, including previously redacted emails that detailed years of correspondence between bin Sulayem and Epstein.
The exchanges, spanning business discussions, political networking, and personal matters, date back over a decade and continued even after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor for prostitution.
A particularly disturbing message highlighted in the documents is a 2009 email from Epstein to bin Sulayem, in which Epstein wrote: “Where are you? Are you ok, I loved the torture video.”
The context and content of the referenced video remain unclear, with no further explanation provided in the released files. U.S. Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.), who reviewed unredacted versions of the documents, publicly identified bin Sulayem as the recipient earlier this week, prompting widespread media coverage and scrutiny.
Other correspondence included salacious comments about women, with one 2015 email from bin Sulayem to Epstein describing a past encounter in graphic terms.
Epstein also referred to bin Sulayem as a “close personal friend” in some records.
The two men discussed potential deals, invitations to events like the Clinton Global Initiative, and even arrangements for visits to Epstein’s private island.
No criminal charges have been filed against bin Sulayem related to the Epstein files, and the released documents do not allege direct involvement in Epstein’s criminal activities.
However, the associations have triggered significant reputational damage.
In the days leading up to the resignation, financial institutions in the United Kingdom and Canada — including major pension funds — announced pauses or halts on new investments and projects with DP World, citing concerns over the revelations.
Bin Sulayem, an Emirati billionaire who transformed DP World into a global powerhouse with operations in more than 80 countries, has led the company for over three decades.
He is also the brother of Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), which oversees Formula One and other motorsports.
DP World’s swift leadership change appears aimed at containing the fallout and preserving partnerships in an industry sensitive to governance and ethical issues.
The company has not issued further comment on the specific reasons for the resignation beyond the personnel announcement.
The Epstein document releases continue to reverberate internationally, exposing connections between the late financier and influential figures across business, politics, and finance.
Bin Sulayem’s exit marks one of the most prominent corporate consequences to date from the latest batch of unsealed files.
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