Rosalía Mera
Spanish businesswoman (1944–2013)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Rosalía Mera Goyenechea (28 January 1944 – 15 August 2013) was a Spanish businesswoman and fashion designer. At the time of her death, she was the richest woman in Spain[1] and the world's richest self-made woman according to Forbes.[2] She was ranked #66 among the world's most powerful women by Forbes in 2013.[3] In 1975, she co-founded the Zara retail chain with her then-husband Amancio Ortega Gaona. The company grew to become the world's largest fashion retailer.[4]
Rosalía Mera | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | 28 January 1944 A Coruña, Galicia, Spain |
| Died | 15 August 2013 (aged 69) A Coruña, Galicia, Spain |
| Known for | Co-founder of Zara |
| Spouse | [1] |
| Children | 2; including Sandra Ortega Mera |
| Website | Official website |
Early life and education
Career
Mera began designing gowns and lingerie in her home with her then-husband, Amancio Ortega Gaona. The couple opened the first Zara store in 1975 in A Coruña.[7] Eventually the couple parlayed their work into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Zara's success was in part due to its strategy of imitating popular fashions and quickly making them for sale at inexpensive prices.[4]
Ten years after the opening of the first Zara store, Inditex was established as a holding company for the couple's businesses.[7] Inditex now comprises multiple fashion companies, of which Zara is the flagship.[1] The company also owns the retailers Bershka, Massimo Dutti, Oysho, Pull & Bear, Stradivarius, Uterqüe and Zara Home.[8] Inditex has over 6,000 stores in over 86 countries as of 2013[update],[4] and over 120,000 employees.[8] Despite her 1986 divorce from Ortega,[1] Mera retained a 7% stake in the company.[9]
Mera also owned an interest in a company which made fingerprinting identification kits for newborns[10] and another company, Zeltia, which researches cancer-fighting compounds of synthetic and natural origin, and in particular bioactive compounds originating in the ocean.[10][11]
According to the 2013 Forbes billionaire list, Mera was the world's wealthiest self-made female entrepreneur, with a net worth of over $6 billion. She was the second-wealthiest person from Spain,[10] second only to her ex-husband.
Assets
At the time of her death, Mera's fortune was valued at $6.1 billion (€4.6 billion). Her primary asset was a 6.99% stake in Inditex (representing 31.4 million shares valued at €3.2 billion), held through the investment vehicle Rosp Corunna Participaciones Empresariales, S.L.[6] This entity also controlled a 5% stake in the pharmaceutical research company Zeltia, valued at €28.8 million.[12]
Mera channeled her investments through two investment companies (SICAVs): Breixo Inversiones (with assets of approximately €200 million) and Soandres de Activos (with €350 million in assets).[6] She also controlled Ferrado Inmuebles and held stakes in other companies including Room Mate hotels (over 30%), Galician Marine Aquaculture (30.5%), and Neonatal, a company producing biometric fingerprinting kits for newborns.[6][12]
Political and philanthropic activities
Mera opposed conservative Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy's plans to make Spain's abortion laws more restrictive.[8] She specifically criticised the proposed reform drafted by Justice Minister Alberto Ruiz-Gallardón, expressing confidence that the bill "would not pass" and hoping the existing legislation "would be left as it is" because in her view it "is very good".[13] On economic policy, she opposed austerity cutbacks to Spain's national healthcare and education programmes, stating: "If we haggle over health, childhood, or education, we are doing ourselves a great disservice".[13][8]
Mera established the Paideia Foundation which works with groups in risk of social exclusion.[10][14] The foundation, based in A Coruña, was created to support children with disabilities, inspired by Mera's personal experience as the mother of a son with cerebral palsy.[5]
Personal life
Mera married Amancio Ortega Gaona in 1966.[7] The couple had a daughter Sandra in 1968,[7] and a son Marcos in 1971, who was born with cerebral palsy.[10] The couple divorced in 1986.
Death
On 14 August 2013, Mera was admitted to a hospital in Menorca in an "irreversible situation" after suffering a stroke. The family had been on holiday in Menorca. Mera died on 15 August 2013 in A Coruña. She had been transferred by plane to the port city and then by ambulance to the Hospital San Rafael de A Coruña where she later died of stroke complications.[15][16] Inditex confirmed Mera's death on 16 August 2013,[17] stating "The group wishes to send its sincere condolences to her loved ones and friends at this extremely difficult time, after the loss of a person who contributed so much to the origins and development of the company."[1] She was buried in the cemetery of the church of Santa Eulalia of Liáns, in Oleiros, Galicia.[18]
Her daughter Sandra Ortega Mera inherited her wealth, and became Spain's richest woman with a net wealth of $6.1 billion.[19]