WORLD'S TWELFTH WEALTHIEST
Amancio Ortega
Founder, Inditex (Zara)
Estimate — based on private holdings & editorial research
Amancio Ortega founded Zara in 1975 and built Inditex into the world's largest fashion retailer, with over 8,000 stores across 96 markets. He stepped back from the CEO role in 2011 but retains a ~59% stake in Inditex and has diversified into a vast real estate portfolio of prime commercial properties across Europe and North America.
Wealth in Context
Figures calculated from current net worth estimate
Amancio Ortega's net worth equals the annual budgets of 160 children's hospitals
Amancio Ortega's net worth could cover one year's school costs for every man, woman, and child in Virginia
Amancio Ortega's net worth could build 2,400 new public schools
Source: National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities, 2023
Holdings Breakdown
| Company | Ticker | Shares | Price | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
International Holdings Forbes 2025 Billionaires List | foreign exchange | $120B | ||
About holdings: Wealth is primarily tied to his ~59% stake in Inditex S.A., traded on the Madrid Stock Exchange (BME: ITX). Inditex shares are not listed on U.S. exchanges. Ortega also holds a large real estate portfolio estimated at €10B+ through Pontegadea Inversiones, including prime commercial buildings in New York, London, Chicago, and Madrid.
Philanthropic Impact
Based on public foundation records, press releases, and giving pledges
Total known giving
$511 million
documented public giving only
Foundation
Fundación Amancio Ortega
Fundación Amancio Ortega — cancer equipment for Spanish hospitals
$361 million
€320 million donated in 2017 to equip 17 Spanish public hospitals with cutting-edge cancer radiotherapy equipment
Ortega donated €320 million in 2017 to equip Spain's largest public hospitals with the most advanced radiotherapy technology available. The donation funded linear accelerators, PET-CT scanners, and brachytherapy systems — directly improving cancer treatment outcomes for thousands of Spanish patients.
How this is calculated
Amancio Ortega's public stock holdings are sourced from SEC Form 4 filings and annual proxy statements. Net worth is calculated as (shares held × current market price) + private wealth estimate. The private wealth estimate is sourced from Forbes 2025 Billionaires List and is updated periodically — it does not change with market movements. Full methodology →