Zara Founder Amancio Ortega Becomes the World's Biggest Landlord With €21 Billion Property Empire

From Fashion Empire to Property Empire

Amancio Ortega, the 90-year-old founder of fashion chain Zara and Spain's richest person, has become the world's biggest landlord with a real estate portfolio valued at over €21 billion.

The Galician businessman now owns more than 200 properties across 13 countries, according to Forbes — surpassing every other major property investor on the planet.

Who Did He Overtake?

Ortega's holdings surpass other major property investors, including:

• Harry Triguboff (Australia): €19.7 billion
• Donald Bren (USA): €16.3 billion

How He Built the Portfolio

Since Inditex went public on the Madrid stock exchange in 2001, Ortega has systematically reinvested dividend profits into real estate. In 2026, he is projected to receive €3.2 billion from Inditex profits alone.

His property holdings are structured across several entities:

• Pontegadea: approximately €12 billion
• Pontegadea GB 2020: nearly €3 billion
• Partler: over €3.5 billion
• Recent acquisitions: €1.8 billion, including the Canada Post building in Vancouver for roughly €720 million

Notable Properties

Ortega's portfolio reads like a list of landmark buildings:

• Torre Picasso in Madrid
• Planeta headquarters in Barcelona
• The gold-coated Royal Bank Plaza in Toronto
• Devonshire House in London

A broker told Forbes: "He's buying collectible assets that are the best in class in the market."

Spain's Richest, Europe's Second Wealthiest

As of 2026, Ortega's net worth stands at €124 billion, making him the world's tenth richest person and Europe's second wealthiest after Bernard Arnault of LVMH.

This article is based on reporting from The Olive Press, published April 15, 2026, with data from Forbes.