Who is Amancio Ortega and how much does he earn? The Zara founder is the man with the most homes in the world.

The second richest man in Europe—behind only Bernard Arnault—has become the richest real estate mogul in the world. With a Forbes estimated net worth of over $141 billion, Amancio Ortega has invested a whopping $24 billion in 216 properties scattered across the globe, becoming, at 90 years old, the absolute king of real estate. And to think we’re talking about the founder of Zara, one of the most famous low-cost clothing and accessories brands in the world.

Reserved, introverted, and incredibly thrifty—but not when it comes to real estate, of course. Few interviews have been conducted to profile one of the world’s most influential entrepreneurs, but fortunately, his billion-dollar companies speak for themselves. Here’s who Amancio Ortega really is, Spain’s richest man who, at over 90, is still riding high.

Who is Amancio Ortega? The biography of the Zara and real estate investment magnate

Born in a small town in the province of León, the son of a railway worker, Amancio Ortega is perhaps one of the symbols of what it means to climb the entrepreneurial ladder from the bottom up. At just 14, he dropped out of school and began working as a delivery boy in a shirt shop: it was there that he learned the real workings of the clothing market, based on margins, demand, and accessibility. In the 1960s, he founded his first business, Confecciones GOA, producing clothes with his wife Rosalía Mera right at home.

The turning point came in 1975 with the opening of the first Zara store, a simple yet revolutionary idea: offering fashionable clothes at affordable prices by drastically shortening the production chain. It was the “fast fashion” model before the term even existed (and became a negative term). The success was immediate and led, within a few years, to the creation of the Inditex group, today the largest global clothing giant, without any ifs or buts.

Brands such as Massimo Dutti, Pull&Bear, Bershka, Stradivarius, Oysho, and Zara Home came under his control, creating a global retail ecosystem with thousands of stores. Zara alone generated billions in revenue, exceeding 16 billion euros with net profits exceeding 2 billion.

But Ortega was never just a man of fashion. Since the 2000s, alongside Inditex’s growth, he began building his own real estate empire. A methodical, silent strategy fueled by ever-increasing dividends transformed him from the king of fast fashion to one of the most powerful global investors. Indeed, the richest ever.

How Amancio Ortega became the richest real estate entrepreneur in the world

The heart of Ortega’s real estate machine is called Pontegadea, the holding company through which he manages investments and holdings. It all began in 2001, the year Inditex went public: by selling 13.5% of the company, he earned approximately $1.1 billion and decided to reinvest it in real estate.

Since then, he has built an unprecedented portfolio: 216 properties in nearly 100 markets, concentrated in 13 countries and valued at approximately $25 billion. In the last year alone, he has invested over $3 billion, with 13 acquisitions including offices, hotels, industrial properties, and luxury retail.

Among his most iconic purchases are the Royal Bank Plaza in Toronto ($916 million), the Troy Block complex in Seattle occupied by Amazon ($740 million), Devonshire House in London ($671 million), and, most recently, the former Canada Post headquarters in Vancouver, purchased for approximately $850 million and transformed into a technology hub.

In effect, Ortega buys “trophy” properties—high-quality assets located in central locations and leased to giants like Amazon, Apple, Meta, Nike, and Spotify. These transactions are often concluded all in cash, debt-free, with a level of financial leverage close to zero.

Unlike other investors, he doesn’t speculate in the short term: he sells very little (only 10 properties in over 20 years) and focuses on stable, long-term returns. This almost “collector-like” approach has allowed him not only to accumulate wealth but also to hedge against fluctuations in the global real estate market.

Amancio Ortega’s Personal Net Worth

As mentioned, Amancio Ortega’s personal net worth is estimated by Forbes at over $141 billion, a figure that consistently places him among the richest men on the planet, often even in the top 10. Most of his wealth comes from his stake in Inditex, of which he is still the largest shareholder through Pontegadea.

But what makes him unique is his management of this capital. From 2001 to today, Ortega has collected approximately $28 billion in dividends and reinvested almost entirely, transforming it into productive assets: real estate, infrastructure, energy, and logistics. A strategy that is not only financial but also fiscal.

Thanks to his corporate structure and Spanish holding company regulations, he has been able to drastically reduce the tax impact on dividends, paying minimal rates compared to the standards. This allowed him to save billions and further accelerate the growth of his empire.

Today, Pontegadea is one of the largest family offices in the world, with global assets and a surprisingly streamlined structure: around 90 employees and a small board. And while dividends continue to grow—with a record €3.8 billion expected in a single year—Ortega continues to do what he has always done: reinvest, expand, and consolidate.

Original article published on Money.it Italy. Original title: Chi è e quanto guadagna Amancio Ortega? Il fondatore di Zara è l’uomo che possiede più case al mondo-