Mango founder dies aged 71 in hiking accident

The founder of high street fashion chain Mango has died in an accident while hiking a mountain range near Barcelona on Saturday aged 71.

According to company sources, Andic slipped and fell from a height of approximately 150 metres. His wife and son witnessed the incident, while the Catalan regional law enforcement, Mossos d'Esquadra, went to the scene of the accident with a helicopter and the mountain unit to recover his body.

Born in 1953 in Istanbul into a Sephardic Jewish family, Andic arrived in Catalonia at the age of 14, where he began to develop his ability for commerce. By 17, he was selling clothes and shoes at flea markets and later opened fashion shops, laying the foundations of what would become a business empire.

In 1984, Andic opened his first shop on Barcelona's Paseo de Gracia street. Since then, Mango has become an international brand with 2,743 shops in more than 115 markets. His strategic vision and leadership transformed the company into a global fashion benchmark, making him Spain's fifth-largest fortune, with an estimated net worth of €4.5 billion.

In addition to his role in creating Mango, Andic has also served as president of the Family Business Institute, a member of multiple international advisory boards, and a trustee of cultural institutions such as the Prado Museum and the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

The political and business world has expressed its shock at the news of Andic's passing. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez praised Andic's "great work and business vision", while Salvador Illa, president of the Catalan regional government, said Andic was a "committed businessman" who contributed to Catalonia's image worldwide.

Business leaders such as Antonio Garamendi of the CEOE described him as "a great loss for the Spanish business fabric". Toni Ruiz, CEO of Mango, expressed the company's grief in a statement, remembering Andic as an example of inspiring leadership and unwavering commitment. He stressed that the best tribute would be to continue with the project Andic's ambition.

In its last six months, Mango had experienced significant growth, with a turnover of €1,54 billion, 6.3% more than in the same period of the previous year.