DP World group chairman and chief executive Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has resigned from the company with immediate effect, amid revelations of his association with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, both before and after the disgraced financier’s conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution in 2008.
Sulayem’s association with Epstein emerged after the US Department of Justice (DoJ) released more than three million pages of documents from the Epstein files on 30 January, detailing the vast social and financial circle Epstein had engineered with some of the world’s most powerful people.
Epstein used his wealth and influence to create a decade-long sex trafficking ring. He died in prison in 2019 while facing charges of sex trafficking underage girls.
The DoJ documents reveal that Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem and Epstein shared messages relating to sexual experiences, including a message from Epstein to the Sultan saying: “I loved the torture video.”
The messages also detail Sulayem’s role helping to arrange training for a “masseuse” from Epstein’s “private spa” and both appear to have traded images while discussing people they had relations and lists for escort and massage services in various cities.
Being listed in the Jeffrey Epstein files, which include court documents, flight logs, and address books, is not inherently evidence of criminal wrongdoing or legally actionable collusion. Many people in the documents are listed because they socialised with, met, or were acquaintances of Epstein, which does not prove participation in his criminal activities.
On Friday (13 February), DP World said Essa Kazim had been appointed to the role of chairman with Yuvraj Narayan taking on the role of group CEO. It did not mention Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem’s departure.
The statement came as pressure mounted from major partners including Canadian pension fund La Caisse and the UK’s development finance arm British International Investment (BII), which had said they would halt future deals with DP World.
BII also said this moratorium would continue “until the required actions have been taken by the company”.
Following DP World’s announcement of a leadership change, a BII spokesperson said: “We welcome today’s decision by DP World and look forward to continuing our partnership to advance the development of key African trading ports to unlock the continent’s global trading potential.”
In the UK Dubai-based DP World owns London Gateway container port and ports and ferry operator P&O World. It also owns six Canadian ports.
DP World said Kazim, the new chair, who is currently chair of Borse Dubai and governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre, would bring “extensive experience in financial and economic affairs”. Narayan, the new CEO, was previously chief financial officer and Sulayem’s deputy.
