Sultan bin Sulayem removed as CEO after Epstein email scandal

DP World on Friday announced the appointment of a new chairman and group chief executive officer, replacing Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, who had held both roles, following the disclosure of correspondence between him and convicted US financier Jeffrey Epstein.

In a statement, the company said: “DP World’s Board of Directors has approved the appointment of His Excellency Essa Kazim as Chairman of the Board, and Yuvraj Narayan as Group Chief Executive Officer.”

The move was framed as part of efforts to “strengthen governance and institutional leadership,” according to the statement, which did not mention Bin Sulayem by name.

Read more: UAE tycoon behind “I loved the torture video” email to Epstein

The leadership change comes after reports revealed exchanges between Bin Sulayem and Epstein, who was convicted of sex offenses in the United States. Further details about the nature of the correspondence have not been disclosed.

DP World, one of the world’s largest port operators, has not announced whether Bin Sulayem will retain any other role within the company.

- The infamous “I loved the torture video” email -

It was also recently revealed that Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem was the name redacted in an email sent to Jeffrey Epstein stating, “I loved the torture video.”

The message sparked widespread backlash and online speculation over why the sender’s identity had been concealed.

During a recent exchange between Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal and Pam Bondi, a document photographed by a Reuters journalist appeared to show the unredacted record provided to Congress, identifying Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem as the sender.