Majd Bahjat Suleiman
Majd Bahjat Suleiman | |
|---|---|
| مجد بهجت سليمان | |
| Born | October 28, 1974 Damascus, Syria |
| Nationality | Syrian |
| Other names | Majid Bahjat Suleiman, Majd Suleiman, Majd Sleiman, Majd Sulayman |
| Citizenship | Syrian |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | United Group (UG), AWI Company, Al Waseet Intertnational |
| Spouse | Zina Khair |
| Parent |
|
| Relatives | Haidara Suleiman (brother) |
Majd Bahjat Suleiman (Arabic: مجد بهجت سليمان, born 28 October 1974), also known as Majd Suleiman or Majid Suleiman, is a Dubai-based Syrian businessman and son of the former Syrian ambassador to Jordan and intelligence chief Bahjat Suleiman. He is the owner of Syria's largest media conglomerate, United Group (UG) which also operates under the trade name AWI Company and is affiliated with Al Waseet International.[1]
Background
Majd Suleiman is the son of former Syrian ambassador to Jordan and head of the internal branch of the Syrian General Intelligence Directorate (GID) Bahjat Suleiman, and was identified by the United States Congressional Research Service as a "Key member of the Asad Family & Other Elites".[2] His media conglomerate, United Group, owns and publishes Baladna, one of two private daily newspapers covering political topics that have succeeded in staying open after the Syrian civil war, due to close ties to the Syrian government.[3][4][5]
His younger brother Haidara Suleiman is the editor-in-chief of Syrian government-aligned newspaper Baladna, a member of the Syrian Electronic Army, and runs Bashar al-Assad's page on Facebook.[6]
Career
He is a founding partner in United Group for Publishing Advertising and Marketing, also known as United Group (UG), with his business partner Bachar Kiwan[7][8][9][10] United Group (UG) publishes the government-aligned Baladna newspaper in Syria, and published the defunct Al-Balad newspaper in Lebanon, Kuwait, and the Comoros. Kiwan and Suleiman grew their partnership with the establishment of several affiliated businesses in the fields of banking, construction, tourism, advertising and publishing,[11] taking on local business partners in various countries.[12] Their businesses include Al Waseet International, AWI Holding Limited, Comoro Gulf Holdings (CGH), Comoro Gulf Aviation,[13] and Jad & Jana (France).[7][14][15][16][17]
Suleiman and Kiwan also established AWI Company, also known as AWI Group, an affiliate of United Group (UG) based in Dubai Media City.[18] AWI Company published a number of technical and advertising newspapers and magazines in 35 cities in 12 countries. The group publications included Layalina, Top Gear, Marie Claire, Fortune, and Concord Media for Road Advertisements.[18][19] The group planned for an IPO in 2012 but stopped due to Syrian civil war.[18]
Personal life
Majd Suleiman is married to model and fashion entrepreneur Zina Khair, co-founder of the fashion accessory brand LE MARAIS 101.[20][21]
References
- ^ Abrahamian, Atossa Araxia (2015). The cosmopolites : the coming of the global citizen. New York. ISBN 978-0-9909763-6-3. OCLC 927317044.
- ^ Sharp, Jeremy (3 June 2011). "Syria: Issues for the 112th Congress and Background on U.S. Sanctions". Congressional Research Service: 10.
- ^ "A Wasted Decade: Human Rights in Syria during Bashar al-Asad's First Ten Years in Power". 2010-07-16.
{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires|journal=(help) - ^ Badran, Yazan. Arab Media Systems. doi:10.11647/obp.0238.02. ISBN 978-1-80064-059-7. S2CID 242906131.
- ^ "Not even loyalist journalists safe in Assad's Syria". Arab News. 2019-07-24. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
- ^ Nahhas, Lynne (11 July 2011). "Syria's secret war against the cyber dissidents". AFP.
- ^ a b Abrahamian, Atossa Araxia (2015). The cosmopolites : the coming of the global citizen. New York. p. 27. ISBN 978-0-9909763-6-3. OCLC 927317044.
- ^ Lazkani, Alimar (2018-11-23). "Local Actors in the Syrian Coastal Area: Characteristics and Prospects". Arab Reform Initiative.
- ^ Sharp, Jeremy M. (9 August 2011). "Unrest in Syria and U.S. Sanctions Against the Asad Regime" (PDF). Congressional Research Service: 4.
- ^ "This Critical Juncture: Elite Competition in a Receding Civil War". Project on Middle East Political Science. 2020-10-27. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
- ^ Mansour, Mohamed. "Interview: Mohamad Mansour – How Syria's Media Tycoons Control the Market". The Syrian Observer.
- ^ "Bashar Kiwan". Assad’s Businessmen. Retrieved 2021-01-12.
- ^ "Kiwan - M. Bachar | ICIJ Offshore Leaks Database". offshoreleaks.icij.org. Retrieved 2021-12-29.
- ^ "Jad & Jawa (Paris, 75008) : siret, TVA, adresse..." entreprises.lefigaro.fr. Retrieved 2022-07-31.
- ^ "AWI Holding Limited - 2119 - Dubai (UAE)". b2bhint.com. Retrieved 2022-05-05.
- ^ "محمد بشار بن محمد بشير كيوان. يد نظام الأسد لتجارة الجنس والمخدرات في الكويت". المركز العربي الأوروبي للدراسات - EURO Center for Studies (CAEFS). Retrieved 2021-01-12.
- ^ "Kiwan Buys Large Share of UG – Report". Syria Report. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
- ^ a b c "AWI prepares for 2012 IPO". The National. 2010-02-23. Retrieved 2021-03-15.
- ^ "À la découverte de Bachar Kiwan, entrepreneur à succès | Pays monde" (in French). Retrieved 2021-03-15.
- ^ "Syrian hardliner's family given visas for Canadian births: report". CBC News. 24 June 2005.
- ^ "OUR STORY". Le Marais 101 - Our Story. Retrieved 2022-10-17.
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