Mohammed Makhlouf
{{Short description|Syrian businessman (1932–2020)}}
{{Infobox person
| image =
| native_name = محمد مخلوف
| native_name_lang = ar
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1932|10|19}}
| birth_place = Bustan al-Basha, French Syria
| death_date = {{death date and age|2020|9|12|1932|10|19|df=yes}}
| death_place = Damascus, Syria
| spouses = Ghada Adeeb Muhanna
Hala Tarif Al-Maghout
| nationality = Syrian
| citizenship =
| known_for = Syrian Air
| children = {{plainlist|
| relatives = Anisa Makhlouf (sister)
Bashar al-Assad (nephew)
| parents = Ahmed Makhluf
Sa'da Suleyman
}}
Mohammed Makhlouf ({{langx|ar|محمد مخلوف}}; October 19, 1932{{snd}}September{{nbsp}}12, 2020) was a Syrian businessman and a maternal uncle of former president Bashar al-Assad.{{Cite web|url=https://www.opensanctions.org/entities/Q112117043/|title=MAKHLUF, Muhammad|website= opensanctions.org|date=19 October 1932 |access-date=2023-01-06|archive-date=2023-01-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106060259/https://www.opensanctions.org/entities/Q112117043/|url-status=live}}
Career
Mohammed was the brother of Anisa Makhlouf, who married Hafez al-Assad in 1957. He initially worked for Syrian Air, the national flag carrier. After his brother-in-law became president, he made a fortune both by managing government companies and in the private sector,{{Cite web|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/100578|title=US embassy cables: US sought financial pressure on top Syrian officials|author=Guardian Staff|date=December 20, 2010|website=The Guardian|access-date=January 6, 2023|archive-date=January 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106050350/https://www.theguardian.com/world/us-embassy-cables-documents/100578|url-status=live}} including becoming general manager of the state-owned tobacco company as well as charging foreign companies a 10% commission on imported tobacco. In 1985, he became director of the Real Estate Bank of Syria (REB). He also became a partner in the "Al Furat Petroleum" company, whose shares were distributed among the Syrian government (65%), and the rest was owned by foreign companies, including Shell plc. His company obtained services related to oil fields from the Lead Contracting & Trading Company, which was owned by his son-in-law, Ghassan Muhanna.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mei.edu/publications/assad-makhlouf-spat-complicated-family-affair|title=The Assad-Makhlouf spat: A complicated family affair|website=Middle East Institute|access-date=2023-01-06|archive-date=2021-10-30|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211030184123/https://www.mei.edu/publications/assad-makhlouf-spat-complicated-family-affair|url-status=live}} When Bashar al-Assad became president, his son Rami inherited his business empire.{{Cite web|url=https://daraj.media/en/55679/|title=Mohammad Makhlouf: The Employee Who Became an Emperor When He Became Assad's Brother-in-law - Daraj|date=September 14, 2020|access-date=January 6, 2023|archive-date=January 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106060151/https://daraj.media/en/55679/|url-status=live}}
In August 2011, he became subject to European Union sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, among individuals with close ties to the Syrian regime during the Syrian Civil War.{{Cite web|url=https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/02/21/syria-eu-imposes-restrictive-measures-on-additional-five-individuals/|title=Syria: EU imposes restrictive measures on additional five individuals|website=www.consilium.europa.eu|access-date=2023-01-06|archive-date=2022-03-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327011143/https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2022/02/21/syria-eu-imposes-restrictive-measures-on-additional-five-individuals/|url-status=live}} He later appealed to the European General Court (EGC), claiming that the sanctions had violated his privacy and affected his standard of living, but the Council rejected his appeal.{{Cite web|url=https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2022/02/eu-imposes-restrictive-measures-on-five-syrian-women-of-mohammed-makhloufs-family/|title=EU imposes restrictive measures on five Syrian women of Mohammed Makhlouf's family|first=enab10|last=Ula|date=February 22, 2022|website=Enab Baladi|access-date=January 6, 2023|archive-date=March 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220318095629/https://english.enabbaladi.net/archives/2022/02/eu-imposes-restrictive-measures-on-five-syrian-women-of-mohammed-makhloufs-family/|url-status=live}}
In 2015, a leaked document from his HSBC bank account revealed that he had registered as an agent for Philip Morris, which owns the Marlboro brand, and as an exclusive agent for Mitsubishi Motors and Coca-Cola.
Personal life
Makhlouf married Ghada Adeeb Muhanna. He had seven children with Ghada Adeeb Muhanna, including: Rami, Hafez, Iyad, Ihab, Shala, Kinda, and Sarah.
On September 12, 2020, he died at Al Assad University Hospital in Damascus, due to complications from COVID-19.{{Cite web|url=https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2020/09/12/Mohammed-Makhlouf-father-of-Syrian-tycoon-Rami-dies-from-coronavirus|title=Mohammad Makhlouf, father of Syrian tycoon Rami, dies from coronavirus|date=September 12, 2020|website=Al Arabiya English|access-date=January 6, 2023|archive-date=January 6, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230106050347/https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2020/09/12/Mohammed-Makhlouf-father-of-Syrian-tycoon-Rami-dies-from-coronavirus|url-status=live}}
References
{{reflist}}
Category:20th-century Syrian businesspeople
Category:21st-century Syrian businesspeople
Category:Deaths from the COVID-19 pandemic in Syria
Category:People from Latakia Governorate
Category:People of the Syrian civil war
Category:Sanctioned due to Syrian civil war
Category:Syrian individuals subject to the European Union sanctions
Category:Syrian individuals subject to U.S. Department of the Treasury sanctions