Amancio Ortega Gaona (born 28 March 1936) is a Spanish billionaire businessman and the founder of the Inditex fashion group, best known for its chain of Zara clothing and accessories shops. He pioneered the "fast fashion" business model, which allows new designs to go from drawing board to store shelves in weeks rather than months. Ortega is notoriously private and almost never gives interviews. He stepped down as chairman of Inditex in 2011 but remains the majority shareholder. He has built a massive real estate portfolio (Pontegadea) spanning London, New York, and Madrid, making him one of Europe's wealthiest property owners.