DP World, the Dubai-based global ports and logistics operator, has replaced its longtime chairman and chief executive Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem following mounting pressure over his ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein.
The announcement came after the recent release and partial unredacting of U.S. Department of Justice documents that referenced a years-long relationship between the two men.
Dubai’s Media Office said Essa Kazim had been appointed chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as group chief executive officer, succeeding bin Sulayem, who had led the company for more than four decades.
DP World says it handles about 10 percent of global trade and operates more than 60 ports and terminals worldwide.
The controversy intensified after members of the U.S. Congress identified bin Sulayem as one of several previously redacted individuals named in the Epstein files.
Democratic Representative Ro Khanna said the government had shielded their names “for no apparent reason.”
The documents include emails and text messages appearing to show discussions about business dealings, references to visits to Epstein’s private island and exchanges of personal remarks.
In one correspondence, Epstein wrote, “I loved the torture video.”
The files do not appear to implicate bin Sulayem in specific crimes, and being named in the documents is not evidence of criminal activity.
Epstein pleaded guilty in 2008 to procuring a minor for prostitution and later died in a New York jail in 2019 while facing sex trafficking charges.
Pressure on DP World mounted after the United Kingdom’s development finance institution, British International Investment, and Canada’s La Caisse said they would pause new investments with the company.
La Caisse, which invested $2.5 billion in DP World assets in 2022, said it would halt further commitments until it received clarity and saw necessary actions taken.
Following the leadership change, British International Investment said it welcomed the decision and looked forward to continuing its partnership to advance key African trading ports.
La Caisse said the company had taken appropriate measures and that it would move quickly to work with DP World’s new leadership.
The leadership shift comes amid broader fallout from the Epstein files, which have prompted scrutiny and departures of prominent figures in business and politics across several countries.