Global ports and logistics major DP World is facing mounting pressure from institutional investors following renewed scrutiny of its long-serving Chairman and CEO, Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, over reported ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
The controversy intensified after the U.S. Department of Justice released additional materials related to Epstein, in which bin Sulayem’s name reportedly appears multiple times over several years. While the DOJ has clarified that inclusion in the documents does not in itself constitute evidence of a crime, reports suggest the relationship between the two men extended beyond Epstein’s 2008 conviction and continued until shortly before his death in 2019.
The developments have prompted action from two major global investors.
La Caisse Pauses Capital Deployment
La Caisse (Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec), Canada’s second-largest pension fund with a portfolio valued at approximately US$366 billion, announced it would “pause additional capital deployment” with DP World until the company addresses the situation.
In a statement, La Caisse emphasized that the individual and the company are separate entities but added that it expects DP World to “address the situation and take the necessary actions.”
La Caisse has maintained a decade-long investment relationship with DP World. In 2016, it committed $3.7 billion toward the company’s ports and terminals business. In 2022, it announced a further $5 billion investment, including projects linked to Jebel Ali Port in Dubai. As recently as September 2025, La Caisse disclosed a partnership with DP World for the expansion of the Port of Montreal at Contrecoeur.
British International Investment Joins
On February 11, British International Investment (BII), the UK government’s development finance institution with a portfolio exceeding $9 billion, also announced it would suspend further investments with DP World.
According to Reuters, BII currently holds investments in at least four African ports operated in partnership with DP World.
Leadership Under Scrutiny
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem, 70, has led DP World for nearly two decades and is widely credited with transforming the Dubai-based operator into one of the world’s largest port and logistics groups. He began his career at Jebel Ali Port in the 1970s and became Chairman in 2007, later assuming the dual role of Chairman and CEO in 2016.
Under his leadership, DP World expanded aggressively through acquisitions and strategic investments. The company acquired British shipping and ports operator P&O in 2006 for $6.8 billion, and later invested in logistics firms such as Imperial Logistics and Syncreon. It recently announced plans to unify its global operations under a single DP World brand.
Today, DP World handles an estimated 10 percent of global container trade, operating ports and logistics facilities across multiple continents.
The latest developments place the spotlight not only on corporate governance standards but also on the potential reputational risks facing one of the most influential players in global supply chains. As investor scrutiny intensifies, market observers will be watching closely to see how DP World responds and whether further stakeholders follow suit.
