A
Spanish businessman has taken the title of the richest man in the world
from the CEO of Microsoft, Bill Gates with what has been described as a
quiet rise to wealth.
 |
| Amancio Ortega |
Spanish clothing magnate, Amancio Ortega, 79, over took Microsoft
founder Bill Gates for the first time ever in the Forbes rich list.
According to Forbes's real-time tracker, the elusive
multibillionaire founder of European clothing retailer Zara smashed
past Bill Gates to become the wealthiest person on the planet, with a
fortune of $79.8 billion (€71.83 billion or £51.84 billion).
Bill Gates' estimated net worth is $79.5bn as of this afternoon. He's expected to take back his top position from Ortega.
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 meager 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.
It wasn't until he was 40 years old that Ortega got around to
setting up Zara, the fast-fashion retailer that has gone from strength
to strength first growing in Spain, then neighbouring Portugal and
France, then London. Now it's all over the globe.
When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)
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