Amancio Ortega facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Amancio Ortega
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| Born | 28 March 1936 Busdongo de Arbas, Spain
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| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Co-founder of Inditex Group Richest person in Spain |
| Board member of | Inditex Daez (COO) |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3, including Sandra Ortega Mera and Marta Ortega Pérez |
| Awards | Order of Civil Merit |
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Amancio Ortega Gaona is a very successful Spanish businessman. He was born on March 28, 1936. He is famous for starting the Inditex fashion group. This group owns popular clothing stores like Zara and Bershka.
Amancio Ortega is known for being a pioneer in "fast fashion." This means he helped make it possible for new clothing styles to go from the design table to stores very quickly. As of 2024, he is one of the richest people in Europe and the world. For a short time in 2015, he was even the richest person on Earth! He is also considered the second wealthiest retailer in the world.
Contents
Early Life and First Steps
Amancio Ortega was the youngest of four children. He was born in a place called Busdongo de Arbas, Spain. He spent his early childhood in Tolosa, Gipuzkoa.
When he was 14, he left school and moved to A Coruña. His father worked on the railway, which led them to move. Soon after, Amancio found a job at a local shirt shop called Gala. There, he learned how to make clothes by hand. This was the start of his journey in the fashion world.
Building a Fashion Empire
In 1963, Amancio Ortega started his first company, Confecciones Goa. This company sold quilted bathrobes. It was a small beginning for what would become a huge business.
Opening the First Zara Store
In 1975, Amancio Ortega and his first wife, Rosalía Mera, opened their very first Zara store. This was a big step. Zara quickly became popular for offering trendy clothes at affordable prices.
Growing Inditex Group
Zara grew into a massive company called the Inditex group. By 2009, Amancio Ortega owned a large part of Inditex. The group had over 6,000 stores around the world. It included many well-known brands like Massimo Dutti, Oysho, Zara Home, Stradivarius, Pull and Bear, and Bershka. Inditex also employed more than 92,000 people.
Amancio Ortega is a very private person. He rarely gives interviews to journalists. In 2011, he decided to retire from leading Inditex. He asked Pablo Isla to take his place as the head of the company.
Giving Back to the Community
Amancio Ortega has used some of his wealth to help others. In 2012, he donated about €20 million to Caritas Internationalis. This is a Catholic organization that helps people in need.
In 2017, he made a huge donation of 300 million euros to help fight cancer across Spain. This money was used to buy 440 special machines that help detect the disease. Thanks to his donation, many more hospitals in Spain now have these important machines.
Amancio Ortega's Wealth
Amancio Ortega has been one of the richest people in the world for many years. His fortune is estimated to be billions of euros.
How He Invests His Money
He is the largest shareholder of Inditex, meaning he owns the biggest part of the company. He also has a company called Pontegadea. This company manages his investments in real estate and other businesses.
Pontegadea owns many properties in big cities like Madrid and Barcelona. These are often located on important business streets. He also owns properties in other major European cities like Paris, Berlin, and London.
Besides buildings, Pontegadea has invested in energy companies. For example, it bought a part of Enagás, an energy company in Spain. It also invested in Red Eléctrica and Redes Energéticas Nacionais, which manage electricity grids in Spain and Portugal. This shows how his investments are spread across different important industries.
Personal Life
Amancio Ortega is known for being very private. He likes to keep a low profile. Before 1999, no photo of him had ever been published! He has only given a few interviews in his entire life.
He prefers to dress simply. He often wears a blue jacket, a white shirt, and gray trousers. He doesn't wear a tie, and interestingly, none of his clothes are from Zara.
He married Rosalía Mera Goyenechea in 1966. They had two children, Marcos and Sandra Ortega Mera. They later divorced in 1986. In 2001, he married his second wife, Flora Pérez Marcote. They have a daughter named Marta Ortega Pérez. Even with his huge wealth, he mostly lives in his apartment in A Coruña, Spain, with his wife.
See Also
In Spanish: Amancio Ortega para niños
- List of billionaires
- List of Spanish billionaires by net worth
