In a brief two-line statement issued on 13 February 2026, the Emirati multinational container terminal operator DP World announced the resignation of its chairman and chief executive, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, adding that replacements had already been identified: Essa Kazim as chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as chief executive. Kazim is a prominent figure in the United Arab Emirates and, at the time of his appointment, served as governor of the Dubai International Financial Centre and chairman of Borse Dubai. Narayan has worked at DP World since 2004 and, prior to his latest appointment, was Group Deputy CEO, effectively bin Sulayem’s deputy, as well as chief financial officer.
The group’s statement did not explain the reasons behind bin Sulayem’s resignation, but the move came shortly after his name appeared in the Epstein files, alongside a photograph showing him with the convicted financier. The key issue is not the revelation itself, but the fact that it led two major funds to suspend their investments in DP World: Canada’s Caisse de Depot et Placement du Quebec and the UK’s British International Investment. Following the leadership change, the latter said it welcomed the decision and would therefore continue its partnership.
