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 billionaire
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.
