The Startup Journey: 7 Steps to Success
1 June، 2020
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4 June، 2020
Name: محمد الطراد
العمر: 72 عامًا
الشركات: Altrad Investment Group
الأبناء: 5 أبناء
Wealth: $3.3 billion
He refused to give in to poverty. At a young age, he traveled from Syria to France, aspiring to write a success story that would inspire millions of young people
and entrepreneurs around the world. He is “Mohed Altrad,” who rose from extreme poverty to become one of France’s wealthiest people and a role model for young people
everywhere, with a fortune of $2.6 billion. What was his success story?
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نشأته في سوريا
Mohed Altrad was born on March 9, 1948—the date his children chose for him, as he has no document proving his age.
The fact that he had no birth certificate may say a lot about the life Mohamed Altrad lived. He grew up in a poor family of nomadic Bedouins in
Raqqa, in northeastern Syria, where he witnessed his father mistreat his mother. His brother later left because of the abuse.
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شغفه بالعلم
He held on to his love of learning, even though his grandmother wanted him to become a shepherd. He lived a nomadic life in the Raqqa desert, an experience that inspired him;
later, he wrote about it in a novel titled *Bedouin*, published in 2002.
Mohamed Altrad was passionate about learning. He would walk 10 km every day to get to school, and ranked first across
Raqqa in the high school examinations. He also received a scholarship from Hafez al-Assad, the late Syrian president, to study military aviation in Kyiv.
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قراره بالسفر
The traveler decided to go to France and bought a one-way ticket, determined not to return to his former life and to write a new chapter
in his journey toward success.
When he arrived in France, he had no specific dream; he was simply focused on not giving in to poverty.
He settled in Montpellier, France, then later moved to Paris, where he continued his studies and earned a PhD in
computer science. He then traveled to the United Arab Emirates for work and settled there for 4 years, working at an oil company,
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, “ADNOC.”
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The Start of His Journey to Wealth
In 1984, he bought a struggling scaffolding business, which later became the starting point for building the global Al-Tarād Group,
now one of Europe’s leading scaffolding companies.
Through his business acumen, Al-Tarād eliminated the competition, especially after acquiring a rival German company called “Blita,”
after which he was able to expand across the continent. By 2003, he owned 21 companies, with profits
reaching $130 million.
Al-Tarād emphasized his love of freedom, and so made sure his employees had the freedom they needed—a policy that had a positive impact on his companies’ performance.
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Read also:The Success Story of a Former Criminal Who Became a Famous Millionaire Entrepreneur
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Global Investments
Al-Turad worked toward building his wealth through diverse investments spanning 14 countries, managed by the “
Turad Group,” which has 170 companies worldwide and employs more than 17,000 people.
Over the course of his career, he joined France’s wealthiest individuals through ownership of successful companies and investments that experienced rapid economic growth,
with consistency and stability.
According to the latest figures from 2020, his fortune is approximately $2.6 billion.
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Read also:Key Highlights from the Success Story of Sony’s Founder
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حبه للرياضة
Sports held a special place for Al-Turad; he owns one of Ireland’s most famous rugby clubs. In 2015, he expressed interest in buying the club
Olympique de Marseille, when it was put up for sale by its owner, Margarita Louis-Dreyfus.
He received several honors, including the Legion of Honour at the rank of Knight and the Legion of Honour at the rank of Officer.
Read also:The Success Story of Ortega, Founder of Global Brand ZARA
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Lessons Learned:
Perseverance: Entrepreneurs should not give in to difficult circumstances or poverty; these can all serve as motivation
to achieve their goals.
Freedom: Successful entrepreneurs value their freedom and should provide the same to their employees, fostering a sense of belonging and loyalty.
Growth: Entrepreneurs do not stop at a fixed point in their careers; they continually strive to develop and achieve more
Investments, and achieving one success after another.
