Origins & Early Life

Amancio Ortega Gaona OMC (Spanish pronunciation: [aˈmanθjo oɾˈteɣa ɣaˈona]; born 28 March 1936) is a Spanish billionaire businessman. He is the founder and former chairman of Inditex fashion group, best known for its chains of Zara and Bershka clothing and accessories shops. He is considered a pioneer in fast fashion. As of 2026, Ortega had a net worth of US$147 billion, making him the second-wealthiest person in Europe after Bernard Arnault and the 10th-wealthiest in the world.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

For a brief period of time in 2015, he was the richest man in the world, surpassing Bill Gates when his net worth peaked at $80 billion as Zara's parent company, Inditex's, stock peaked. He is the head of the Ortega family, and the second wealthiest retailer in the world. The youngest of four children, Ortega was born in Busdongo de Arbas, León, Spain, to Antonio Ortega Rodríguez and Josefa Gaona Hernández from the province of Valladolid, and spent his childhood in Tolosa, Gipuzkoa. Ortega left school and moved to A Coruña at the age of 14, due to his father’s job as a railway worker. Shortly after, he found a job as a shop hand for a local shirtmaker called Gala, which still sits on the same...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul Qadeer Khan — Contemporary (Born in 1936) (1936): Pakistani nuclear physicist, known as the 'father of Pakistan's atomic weapons program'
• Alan Alda — Contemporary (Born in 1936) (1936): Esteemed American actor celebrated for M*A*S*H and decades of versatile performances.
• Albert Finney — Contemporary (Born in 1936) (1936): Esteemed English actor celebrated for his versatile stage and screen performances.
• Alexander Grothendieck — Shared historical date (03-28 · Born) (1928): Pioneering figure in modern algebraic geometry and category theory.
• Arsène Houssaye — Shared historical date (03-28 · Born) (1814): French novelist, poet, and man of letters, active from the 1830s to the 1890s.
• Andrew Grove — Historical peer (Born in 1936) (1936): Visionary engineer and CEO who drove Intel to global semiconductor dominance.
• Assia Djebar — Historical peer (Born in 1936) (1936): Pioneering Algerian feminist novelist celebrated for chronicling women's experiences.
• Anthony Leggett — Historical peer (Died in 2026) (2026): Pioneering theoretical physicist known for work on superfluidity and low-temperature quantum systems.
• Biruté Galdikas — Historical peer (Died in 2026) (2026): Pioneering primatologist and conservationist, renowned for her work with orangutans.
• A. P. J. Abdul Kalam — Historical peer (Died in 2015) (2015): Visionary aerospace engineer, scientist, and former President of India.
• 1936 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1936
• March 28 (03-28) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on March 28