Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
On Friday, DP World announced that it had appointed a new chairman and chief executive officer, replacing Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, who had previously held both positions. The decision comes after his name surfaced in documents related to convicted American financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was found guilty of sexual crimes.
In an official statement, the company said: “The board of DP World has approved the appointment of H.E. Essa Kazim as chairman of the company and Uvrag Narayan as group CEO.” The move was framed as part of “strengthening governance and corporate leadership,” although the statement did not mention bin Sulayem by name.
The decision follows mounting pressure over bin Sulayem’s reported links to Epstein. Members of the U.S. Congress noted that his name appeared in Epstein-related files, renewing scrutiny over his past communications with the financier.
Documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice show that Epstein described bin Sulayem as one of his “most trusted friends.” Bin Sulayem’s name appears more than 9,400 times in the files. The two maintained regular correspondence from 2009 to 2018, exchanging messages about personal matters, meetings, introductions, and business opportunities.
At the time, Epstein presented bin Sulayem as a close associate of Dubai’s ruler, Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Correspondence indicates that bin Sulayem visited Epstein in the United States several times, including on his private island.
Due to his alleged ties to Epstein, the British International Investment Development Fund (BII) and Canada’s second-largest pension fund suspended any new investments in DP World.
However, both institutions welcomed the appointment of a new CEO on Friday, signaling that they would resume investment in the Dubai-based port operator. A spokesperson stated: “We welcome DP World’s decision today and look forward to continuing our partnership to develop major commercial ports in Africa, unlocking the continent’s global trade potential.”
Bin Sulayem, one of the UAE’s most prominent businessmen, led DP World for over four decades. Under his leadership, the company expanded to become one of the world’s largest logistics firms, reportedly handling approximately 10% of global trade.
