The boss of DP World, the Dubai-based owner of P&O Ferries, has resigned following revelations about his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem stepped down as group chair and chief executive on Friday, the company announced.
The resignation came after emails disclosed by the US Department of Justice showed Sulayem exchanged messages with Epstein in 2015, including one where Sulayem described a sexual encounter. US Congressman Thomas Massie also said the justice department confirmed Sulayem was the recipient of an Epstein email mentioning a torture video.
DP World, ultimately owned by Dubai's royal family, named Essa Kazim as new chair and Yuvraj Narayan as CEO. The Dubai government's statement did not mention Sulayem's departure.
The scandal had prompted two major international partners—Canada's La Caisse pension fund and British International Investment (BII)—to halt future deals with DP World. However, BII said on Friday it would resume investments, welcoming the leadership change.
Sulayem had led DP World's transformation from a local port operator into a global logistics giant, owning ports including London Gateway and P&O Ferries. The company faced previous controversy in 2022 when P&O Ferries fired 800 staff without notice, and in 2024 over a diplomatic row with the UK government.
