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Dubai port giant DP World said on Friday that its chairman and chief executive, Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, had resigned, an announcement that followed mounting pressure over his alleged links to Jeffrey Epstein.
Bin Sulayem, one of the most prominent business figures in the Middle East, is among the highest-profile executives to face scrutiny and has been removed from senior roles following the recent release of the Epstein files.
The ruler of Dubai on Friday also issued a decree appointing a new chairman for the Dubai Ports, Customs and Free Zones Corporation, one of several roles previously held by Bin Sulayem.
Members of the US Congress said Bin Sulayem's name appeared in documents released by the US Department of Justice, raising new questions about his past interactions with Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
Bin Sulayem, a prominent figure in Dubai and the wider Middle East, was one of the names behind the emirate's rise to the region's business and tourism hub.
Some of his ventures included founding Nakheel, the real estate developer behind Dubai's famous palm-shaped islands, as well as contributing to the creation of the DMCC commodities exchange.
A frequent speaker at the World Economic Forum and other global business gatherings, he largely oversaw the transformation of DP World into one of the world's largest port and logistics operators.
The company says it handles about 10% of global container traffic with operations spanning countries including Canada, Peru, India and Angola.
DP World also sponsors a major professional golf tournament in Europe and has been a logistics partner for the McLaren Formula 1 racing team since 2023.
Reuters was unable to independently verify the allegations in the filing. Pressure had mounted on the Emirati logistics firm after two organizations, the United Kingdom's development finance agency and Canada's second-largest pension fund, said this week they would suspend all new investments in DP World because of Bin Sulayem's alleged ties to Epstein.
On Friday, the British agency, British International Investment, welcomed DP World's decision and said it looked forward to continuing "the partnership to advance the development of major African commercial ports."
La Caisse de Canada said in a statement that “the company has taken appropriate measures.” It said it will “act quickly to work with the new leadership of DP World to continue our partnership on port projects around the world.”
DP World appointed Essa Kazim as chairman of the board of directors and Yuvraj Narayan as group chief executive officer, Dubai Media Office previously reported.
Kazim currently serves as governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre, while Narayan, who joined DP World in 2004 and most recently served as deputy chief executive, has held several senior roles at the company.
Bin Sulayem's resignation follows the removal of other prominent figures in business and politics from senior positions across the globe, as the fallout from the dossiers widens.
Epstein's files, among millions of files released by the US Department of Justice, suggest a close relationship with Bin Sulayem for more than a decade after Epstein's conviction in 2008 on prostitution charges involving an underage girl.
The documents include emails and text messages that appear to show discussions between Epstein and Bin Sulayem about business, conversations about sex and plans to visit Epstein's Caribbean island.
The documents reveal the late Epstein's web of relationships with prominent figures in politics, finance, academia and business. The mention of his name in the dossier is not evidence of criminal activity.
Epstein was found dead in a New York jail cell where he was being held on sex trafficking charges in August 2019. His death was ruled a suicide.
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