The owner and chairman of MAG Group “never wanted to work for anyone else,” he told Arabian Business back in 2014. He always wanted to be his own man. Despite having a tough rise to the top, Al Gaddah is today one of the region’s most respected businessmen, with a fortune estimated to be in excess of $1bn. The Syrian property developer has also built an empire beyond real estate, stretching from car parts to hospitality and industry.