Mohed Altrad is a French-Syrian billionaire businessman and a renowned name in the international business community. Altrad's net worth is valued at $3.3 billion by Forbes as of October 12, 2021. His journey started as a mere Bedouin and now he is popular as the Bedouin billionaire who went from having a dire early life condition to being a Forbes listed successful businessman. Altrad ranked 891 on the Forbe's Billionaires 2021 list as of October 12, 2021.
The 73-year-old is the founder of Altrad Investment Authority which is a construction engineering company. He is also the President of the Montpellier Herault Rugby club and a writer who has written three acclaimed novels and essays. His novels are Badawi (2002), L’hypothèse de Dieu (2006) and La Promesse d’Annah (2012). Badawi which in English translation will be Bedouin is his own life's story, an autobiographical novel.
Mohed was born on 9 March 1948 to a very young mother in the Syrian desserts. His father was the leader of the tribe and treated his poor mother in a brutal way. The father raped his mother twice and that is when Mohed's mother had him and his brother. His elder brother was abused and killed by his father. He grew up with his grandparents in Syria after his mother had expired. He was brought up in poverty and eventually attended school against the wishes of his grandmother. He spent his youth in Raqqa, the city that is now capital of the ISIS, the Islamic state.
His diligence, efforts, and high scores helped him win a scholarship from the Syrian government to study in France. Though Altrad entered the country without knowing French, he managed to learn and strive. He completed his undergraduate degrees in physics and math and a Ph.D. in computer science.
He commenced his professional journey by working for the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and later left the company and bought a bankrupt scaffolding manufacturer in France with a partner in 1985. The company was later morphed into the present-day ALtrad Group which specializes in sectors of oil and gas, energy, power generation, process, environment, and construction. The group is also a recognized leader in the manufacturing of equipment dedicated to the construction and building market.
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With time he began expanding the company worldwide. Altrad is now a world leader in cement mixers and a European leader in scaffolding and wheelbarrows. Even after achieving power and wealth, the man stays humble as ever. He believes in multiculturalism and has immense respect for diversity. He currently resides in Montpellier, France and has citizenship of the country, and has 5 children with his wife. He was also awarded the World Entrepreneur Of The Year title by Ernst & Young in 2015 and EY Entrepreneur Of The Year 2014 France.
