There’s a new richest man in the world. It’s Spanish clothes magnate Amancio Ortega, who has overtaken Microsoft founder Bill Gates for the first time ever. According to Forbes’ real-time tracker, the elusive multi-billionaire founder of European clothes retailer Zara just smashed past Bill Gates to become the wealthiest person on the planet, with a fortune of $US79.8 billion (€71.83 billion or £51.84 billion).
The elusive Ortega isn’t as much of a household name as Gates, but he’s quietly ascended the wealth rankings in recent years, as his company continues to perform well and expand.
Unlike many of the richest people in the world, Ortega has a fascinating rags-to-riches story. Born in 1936 during the Spanish civil war, Ortega’s father earned 300 pesetas a month, a meagre salary.
Ortega’s biographer described his memories of a childhood during which his family could not always afford enough food. He left school in his early teens, working his way up from the absolute bottom rung as a messenger boy in a shop.
