DP World CEO resigns amid Epstein files furore

A US Congressional inquest that saw the US Department of Justice release millions of redacted files linked to criminal investigations into high-net-worth financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was charged with sex trafficking at the time of his death in prison, and his accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted of sex trafficking, has been followed by the resignation of DP World chairman and chief executive Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem.

Courts, law enforcement and media organisations are reportedly reviewing the files, and US lawmakers have been given part of the cache of files on Mr Epstein in unredacted form, with US congressman Ro Khanna naming billionaire Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem and five other men in a speech on the floor of the US Congress. The congressman did not offer any evidence of wrongdoing against the men, and none have been charged with any crime.

DP World announced the resignation of Mr Bin Sulayem the same day and that replacements had been named.

"DP World Ltd announces that Group chairman and chief executive, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, has resigned from the company, effective immediately. The Board announces that His Excellency Essa Kazim has been appointed chairman and Yuvraj Narayan has been appointed Group chief executive," a statement on the DP World website said.

Reports also claimed that the links of its chief executive to Mr Epstein had resulted in commercial implications for DP World. 

The so-called Epstein files are described as millions of pages of documents from the criminal investigations into sex trafficking of underage girls by Mr Epstein and Ms Maxwell. They are said to include travel logs, recordings and emails. 

The US House of Representatives, the lower house of the US Congress, created and passed a law known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act to make the investigation of the financier’s files public. The Senate passed the legislation, and US President Donald Trump signed it into law.