The head of global ports operator DP World has left the company after mounting pressure over his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem's exit as chairman and chief executive comes after newly-released files showed the Emirati mogul appears to have exchanged hundreds of emails with Epstein over a decade.
Being mentioned in the files is not a sign of any wrongdoing, and the BBC has approached Sulayem for a comment.
DP World announced his resignation, effective immediately, on Friday, naming Essa Kazim as chairman and Yuvraj Narayan as chief executive. A photograph of Sulayem appeared to have been removed from its website.
DP World, the Dubai-owned logistics giant that runs port terminals across six continents and plays a significant role in global trade infrastructure, has come under increasing pressure over recent days from businesses it works with.
Earlier this week, the UK development finance agency and Canada's second largest pension fund La Caisse said they were suspending new investment into the firm.
And the Prince of Wales' Earthshot project, which received funding from DP World, was reported to the UK Charity Commission after Sulayem appeared in the files.
The documents reveal what appears to have been a close and wide-ranging relationship between one of the Gulf's most influential business figures and Epstein. They indicate Epstein introduced Sulayem to various international figures from politics and business by email, and that Sulayem gave the Prince of Wales a tour of DP World's London Gateway port in 2016.
Sulayem was also accused by two US lawmakers, Ro Khanna and Thomas Massie, of being one of six powerful men who were associated with the disgraced financier.
The congressmen, who co-sponsored the law that compelled the justice department to release the Epstein files last year, say they were improperly redacted.
Emails exchanged between Sulayem and Epstein showed a level of personal friendship, discussing various topics including health matters and travel plans, as well as business ideas. Notably, Epstein described Sulayem as one of his most trusted friends in a 2013 email.
Email correspondence between the two spanned years, with communications suggesting they discussed relationships with women, and instances where Sulayem was seeking Epstein's business counsel. This included planning initiatives for investment and potential introductions to influential figures including political leaders.
Epstein's involvement in Sulayem's potential business dealings has led to concerns about the propriety of such associations given Epstein's subsequent criminal history and ongoing scrutiny over his former connections.
