A prominent business leader from the United Arab Emirates has been replaced as head of one of the world’s largest port operators. This change in leadership follows the release of documents by the US Justice Department that revealed his close, long-standing friendship with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The executive, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, had been a powerful force in global trade for decades as the chairman and CEO of DP World, a company with operations in more than 80 countries. Without mentioning him by name, a government media office announced the appointment of a new chairman and group CEO for the company, which was later confirmed.
The newly public communications, spanning at least a decade, show an intimate relationship between the two men. Epstein described the tycoon in affectionate terms, calling him a “best and trusted friend.” The emails contained misogynistic descriptions of women and girls, sexually explicit material, and discussions of business proposals.
A particularly troubling element involved a 2009 email from Epstein that referenced an alleged “torture video.” While a name appearing in the files is not evidence of wrongdoing, and the businessman has not been accused of any crimes related to Epstein, the revelation has drawn scrutiny. The Justice Department unredacted more names this week, including bin Sulayem’s, which appears thousands of times in the latest batch of documents.
The communication continued even after Epstein’s 2009 release from prison, where he had served time after pleading guilty to child prostitution charges. Epstein died in 2019 while awaiting trial on additional charges of sexually abusing underage girls and running a sex trafficking ring.
The businessman is a well-known figure in global circles, frequently appearing with Dubai’s ruler and having been photographed with former US President Donald Trump. He is a regular attendee at high-profile events like the World Economic Forum in Davos.
The document release has had immediate business consequences. At least two major financial institutions—a British investment platform and Canada’s second-largest pension fund—reportedly paused future deals with DP World. One pension fund stated it expected the company to “shed light on the situation,” but after the leadership change, it expressed satisfaction that “appropriate measures” had been taken and looked forward to working with the new management.
Bin Sulayem’s profile fits a pattern seen in the Epstein files, which illustrate how the financier cultivated a network of wealthy and influential men from business, tech, and politics. While not a household name in the United States, a newly published memo has now pushed the tycoon into the spotlight in Washington.