The Universal Suez Ship Canal Company (French: Compagnie universelle du canal maritime de Suez) was the French corporation which constructed the Suez Canal between 1859 and 1869. France was the majority shareholder, with Egypt also holding a significant stake until financial crisis forced Isma'il Pasha to sell his shares to the British government. Formed by Ferdinand de Lesseps in 1858, the company operated the canal until its nationalization by Nasser in 1956, which led to the Suez Crisis. The company remains in business, following a series of mergers, as SUEZ, an industrial conglomerate.
