In brief
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, the chairman and CEO of DP World, has resigned following revelations of his extensive email correspondence with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The resignation comes amidst increased scrutiny from business partners and significant pressure, including investment suspensions from major financial institutions. DP World appointed Essa Kazim and Yuvraj Narayan as new leaders, as the incident continues to stir controversy in global trade circles.
The head of global ports operator DP World has left the company after mounting pressure over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem's exit as chairman and chief executive comes after newly-released files showed the Emirati mogul appears to have exchanged hundreds of emails with Epstein over a decade. Being mentioned in the files is not a sign of any wrongdoing, and the BBC has approached Sulayem for a comment. DP World announced his resignation, effective immediately, on Friday, naming Essa Kazim as chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as chief executive. A photograph of Sulayem appeared to have been removed from its website.DP World, the Dubai-owned logistics giant that runs port terminals across six continents and plays a significant role in global trade infrastructure, has come under increasing pressure over recent days from businesses it works with. Earlier this week, the UK development finance agency and Canada's second largest pension fund La Caisse said they were suspending new investment into the firm. And the Prince of Wales' Earthshot project, which received funding from DP World, was reported to the UK Charity Commission after Sulayem appeared in the files. The documents reveal what appears to have been a close and wide-ranging relationship between one of the Gulf's most influential business figures and Epstein. They indicate Epstein introduced Sulayem to various international figures from politics and business by email, and that Sulayem gave the Prince of Wales a tour of DP World's London Gateway port in 2016. Sulayem was accused by two US lawmakers of being one of six powerful men associated with the disgraced financier. They stated that the released documents contained improper redactions related to Sulayem.The emails indicate Sulayem was in contact with Epstein as far back as 2007, suggesting a close friendship that involved sharing travel plans, business ideas, and casual jokes. Epstein referred to Sulayem as one of his most trusted friends in an email from 2013. Their correspondence included discussions about launching an Islamic digital currency and Sulayem seeking Epstein's advice on health matters and personal relationships.Further communications suggest Sulayem also had email exchanges regarding women and arranged for Epstein's "private masseuse" to receive training. The emails reference discussions with high-profile figures, including a request for introductions to various global leaders. Sulayem's decision to step down follows increasing public scrutiny and immediate impacts on the operations of DP World.
