The Spanish business community is in mourning following the death of Isak Andic, founder and non-executive chairman of Mango.
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, dying on the spot.
His wife and son witnessed the unfortunate event, while the Mossos d’Esquadra went to the scene of the accident with a helicopter and the mountain unit to recover his body.
Isak Andic’s career is a testament to success and determination. Born in 1953 in Istanbul into a Sephardic Jewish family, he arrived in Catalonia at the age of 14, where he began to develop his innate ability for commerce. By the age of 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. Since then, Mango has grown to 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 euros.
Andic leaves his mark far beyond the business sphere
Andic’s impact transcended the business sphere. He was president of the Family Business Institute, a member of international advisory boards, and a trustee of important cultural institutions such as the Prado Museum and the Museu Nacional d’Art de Catalunya. His commitment to culture and business made him a reference beyond the textile sector.
The political and business world has expressed its deep regret. The President of the Government, Pedro Sánchez, highlighted his “great work and business vision”, while Salvador Illa, President of the Generalitat, remembered him as a “committed businessman” who contributed to projecting Catalonia to the world.
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 1,543 million euros, 6.3% more than in the same period of the previous year. A final testament to the continued success of the company that Isak Andic built with passion and vision.
His legacy will live on not only in Mango, but in the Catalan and Spanish entrepreneurial spirit, reminding us that success is built on hard work, innovation and an unwavering commitment to one’s dreams. D.E.P.
