Amancio Ortega Gaona is a Spanish business tycoon whose biggest claim to fame is being the founder and former chairman of Inditex fashion group, which itself is best known for the Zara clothing line and retail shops. Not only is he considered one of the wealthiest retailers in the world, he is even considered one of the wealthiest people in Europe and the world. Let’s take a look at his life over the years, starting with his net worth!
Amancio Ortega Net Worth: $68.4 Billion
Amancio Ortega’s net worth is estimated to be around $68.4 billion. Let’s take a look at his life over the years, just to see how he came so far!
The Early Years
Born and raised in León, Spain, Ortega left school at the age of 14 and found work as a shop hand for a local shirtmaker called Gala, where he learned to make clothes by hand.
1972-1999
In 1972, Ortega founded Confecciones Goa, selling quilted bathrobes; within three years, he opened his first Zara store with his wife Rosalía Mera. Zara would eventually go on to become part of the Inditex group, or “Industrias de Diseño Textil Sociedad Anónima,” which includes brands like Massimo Dutti and Pull & Bear, with Ortega going own to more than half of the group. For many years, Ortega kept a private profile, with him not being photographed before 1999.
2000-Present
Ortega made his first public appearance with the start of the new decade. The move was meant to promote his company’s initial public offering on the stock market in 2001. Even during this point, he seldom performed interviews with the press. Ortega announced his retirement from Inditex, with the company’s vice-president and CEO Pablo Isla taking over his position. Over the years, Ortega has also invested in real estate throughout the world, including places like Madrid, Barcelona, London, Chicago, Miami and New York.