Majd Bahjat Suleiman ( ar, 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 Bahjat Suleiman ( ar, بهجت سليمان; 194925 February 2021), also known as Bahjat Sulayman, was a Syrian Ambassador to Jordan and head of the internal branch of the Syrian General Intelligence Directorate (GID), also known as Branch 251, ...

. He is the owner of Syria's largest media conglomerate,

United Group (UG) United Group for Publishing Advertising and Marketing (UG) ( ar, المجموعة المتحدة للنشر والدعاية والتسويق) also known as ''United Group (Syria)'' or ''United Group (UG)'', is the largest private sector media gr ...

which also operates under the trade name AWI Company and is affiliated with Al Waseet International.

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 The Congressional Research Service (CRS) is a public policy research institute of the United States Congress. Operating within the Library of Congress, it works primarily and directly for members of Congress and their committees and staff on a c ...

as a "Key member of the Asad Family & Other Elites". His media conglomerate, United Group, owns and publishes ''

Baladna ''Baladna'' ( ar, بلدنا, lit=Our Country) is a privately owned, government-aligned Arabic daily newspaper published in Syria. The paper has also an English edition which was launched in December 2009 but later shut down. History and profil ...

'', 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 Government of the Syrian Arab Republic is the union government created by the constitution of Syria where by the president is the head of state and the prime minister is the head of government. Executive power is exercised by the government. Syr ...

. His younger brother Haidara Suleiman is the editor-in-chief of Syrian government-aligned newspaper ''

'', a member of the

Syrian Electronic Army The Syrian Electronic Army (SEA; ar, الجيش السوري الإلكتروني) is a group of computer hackers which first surfaced online in 2011 to support the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Using spamming, website deface ...

, and runs Syrian President

Bashar al-Assad Bashar Hafez al-Assad, ', Levantine pronunciation: ; (, born 11 September 1965) is a Syrian politician who is the 19th president of Syria, since 17 July 2000. In addition, he is the commander-in-chief of the Syrian Armed Forces and the ...

's page on Facebook.

Career

He is a founding partner in

United Group for Publishing Advertising and Marketing United Group for Publishing Advertising and Marketing (UG) ( ar, المجموعة المتحدة للنشر والدعاية والتسويق) also known as ''United Group (Syria)'' or ''United Group (UG)'', is the largest private sector media gr ...

, also known as United Group (UG), with his business partner

Bachar Kiwan Muhammad Bashar Kiwan (; born November 30, 1966), known as ''Bachar Kiwan'', is a Syrian-French convicted felon, fraudster and international fugitive. He is sought by the authorities in the Comoros Islands for criminal convictions relating to mon ...

United Group (UG) publishes the government-aligned ''

'' 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, taking on local business partners in various countries. Their businesses include Al Waseet International, AWI Holding Limited, Comoro Gulf Holdings (CGH), Comoro Gulf Aviation, and Jad & Jana (France). Suleiman and Kiwan also established AWI Company, also known as AWI Group, an affiliate of United Group (UG) based in Dubai Media City. 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''. The group planned for an IPO in 2012 but stopped due to Syrian civil war.

Personal life

Majd Suleiman is married to model and fashion entrepreneur Zina Khair, co-founder of the fashion accessory brand LE MARAIS 101. In 2005, the Canadian Foreign Affairs department drew controversy for issuing a tourist visa, at the request of Bahjat Suleiman, to Zina Khair to visit Montreal to give birth.

References

People of the Syrian civil war Syrian Alawites Syrian businesspeople Living people 1974 births {{Syria-stub