World’s richest self-made woman dies on holiday
The world’s richest self-made woman Rosalia Mera has died on holiday aged 69.
Mera, who left school at 11 to work as a seamstress and went on to co-found fashion giant Zara, fell ill while holidaying on the Balearic island of Menorca with her daugher Sandra. She was taken to the San Rafael hospital in northern Spain where she died yesterday evening.
Mera was last year listed as the world’s 195th richest person, with a fortune of £3.9bn.
Inditex, which owns Zara, as well as the Massimo Dutti and Bershka brands, sent out a statement:
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.
Mera left the board of Inditex in 2004, but kept a 5.05 per cent stake in the firm.