Global logistics giant DP World appointing a new chairman and chief executive officer to replace Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. The sudden transition follows the public release of Department of Justice (DOJ) documents detailing a decade-long relationship between bin Sulayem and the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
According to a statement from the Dubai Media Office released on Friday, Essa Kazim has been named Chairman of the Board of Directors, while Yuvraj Narayan has been elevated to Group Chief Executive Officer. While the official announcement did not explicitly name bin Sulayem or provide a reason for the change, the move comes as multiple international partners moved to distance themselves from the firm this week.
"DP World Limited announces that Group Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem has resigned from the company, effective immediately. The Board announces that His Excellency Essa Kazim has been appointed Chairman and Mr. Yuvraj Narayan has been appointed Group CEO," the company release said.
Prior to his removal, bin Sulayem was one of Dubai’s most prominent business figures. He played a central role in the emirate’s rapid development, leading mega-projects such as the construction of the Jebel Ali Port—the largest man-made harbour in the world—and the palm-shaped islands via the developer Nakheel PJSC.
Despite his history of high-profile government roles, his digital presence has been swiftly scrubbed following the announcement. His professional profile on the DP World website now returns a "404 Error," and his LinkedIn account has been deactivated.
Damaging revelations from the Epstein files
The leadership shakeup was triggered by the release of unredacted emails and documents by the US Department of Justice, as reported by Bloomberg and confirmed by major news outlets like The Guardian and The Associated Press. These files revealed that bin Sulayem, who has led DP World since 2019, maintained an intimate and professional correspondence with Epstein that spanned from the early 2000s until at least 2018—years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction for procuring a minor for prostitution.
The correspondence, cited as CBS News, highlights a relationship of deep mutual trust. In a 2013 message, Epstein referred to bin Sulayem as one of his "most trusted friends."
Other exchanges involved the sharing of business contacts and sexually explicit content. One specific email from 2009, which drew scrutiny from US Representative Thomas Massie, featured Epstein asking the recipient if they were okay and stating, "I loved the torture video."
Acccording to reports, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche later confirmed that unredacted files identify bin Sulayem as the recipient of that message.
International partners suspend deals
The fallout from these allegations led to immediate financial repercussions for the Dubai-based operator. British International Investment (BII), a development finance body owned by the UK government with assets totaling approximately $13.6 billion, announced a suspension of its investments in the company.
Simultaneously, the Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec (CDPQ), a major Canadian pension fund and key financial partner in DP World’s global projects, stated it was halting all future investment plans. Following the appointment of new leadership, spokespeople for these organisations indicated they would monitor the company’s actions before fully resuming their partnerships.
