Spanish business tycoon Amancio Ortega briefly took over Bill Gates' spot as the world's richest man on Friday when his fortune hit $79.8 billion, after $4 billion jumped into his fortune on Thursday.
The reign was brief, as a Microsoft earnings report of $1.1 billion pushed Gates' share value back up to the number one spot, according to Fortune.
Ortega, 79, is the founder and head of the Inditex Group, which owns fashion brands like Zara and Massimo Dutti.
He had humble beginnings, born to working class parents in 1936 in Busdongo de Arbas. He became an apprentice for a shirt maker when he was 14 years old, and from there, founded his first company, Goa, which sold quilted bath robes. His first Zara shop opened in 1975, which has lead him to his vast personal wealth today, International Business Times reports.
On the same day that he was declared the richest man, Ortega donated $17 million to public health in the Spanish region of Galicia, International Business Times adds.
Gates was ranked the world's richest person for 2015 on Forbes Billionaire List in March. Ortega was fourth on that list.
Forbes confirmed that this was the first time Ortega has overtaken Gates in the rankings, Huffington Post reports.
Ortega lives in La Coruna, Spain.
