Dubai-headquartered terminal operator DP World moved to replace one of the ports sector’s most recognisable figures on Friday after newly released US Department of Justice files tied CEO and chairman Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem to the child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The Dubai‑based logistics group announced Essa Kazim as chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as group chief executive, ending Sulayem’s long tenure at the helm.

The DOJ documents include references in which Epstein called Sulayem a “close personal friend” and “one of his most trusted friends,” and published emails that mentioned pornography and escorts. The disclosures prompted immediate commercial fallout with financial groups in Canada and the United Kingdom pausing future ventures with DP World pending clarity.

Sulayem had been with DP World for decades, including nearly 20 years as CEO, a period of time where the terminal operator expanded across the world.