United Group for Publishing Advertising and Marketing

For the European telecommunications company United Group, see United Group.

United Group for Publishing Advertising and Marketing (Arabic: المجموعة المتحدة للنشر والدعاية والتسويق) also known as United Group (Syria) or United Group (UG), is the largest private sector media group in the Syria.^[5][3][6]

United Group for Publishing Advertising and Marketing

Trade name	AWI Company[1] United Group (UG)
Native name	المجموعة المتحدة للنشر والدعاية والتسويق
Company type	Public
ISIN	SY0031100058
Industry	Media
Founded	2000
Headquarters	Damascus, Syria
Key people	Haidara Bahjat Suleiman (CEO)[2] Muhamad Saeed Koudmani (chairman)[3]
Products	Baladna
Owner	Majid Bahjat Suleiman (66%)[4] Bachar Kiwan (19%)[4] Jad Kiwan (5%)[4] Zina Khair (5%)[4] Jawa Suleiman (5%)[4]
Website	http://www.ug.com.sy/

Overview

United Group (UG) publishes the government-aligned Baladna newspaper in Syria, and published the defunct Al-Balad newspaper in Lebanon, Kuwait, and the Comoros.^[7][6][8] Baladna is 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.^[9][10][11]

Ownership

The company is publicly listed on the Damascus Securities Exchange and majority owned by Majid Bahjat Suleiman, Bachar Kiwan, and their relatives.^[6][12][4]