As the daughter of the eighth richest man in the world, Marta Ortega could be forgiven for thinking she might get a leg up the career ladder. But from September, the 23-year-old will find that the journey to the top of her father's £12bn Spanish fashion retail empire may be a long one, as she sorts blouses and refills racks of £30 trousers in one of her father's outlets.
Amancio Ortega, the 71-year-old tsar of Inditex, parent company of Zara, is reported to be grooming Marta, his youngest daughter, to lead the international chain he founded in 1974. Her first stop is to be an anonymous employee in one of 445 Bershka stores, which target teens and young adults, before moving on to the six other Inditex brands, a company spokesman confirmed yesterday.
"Everyone in the company has to pass through those same phases of training, no matter what position they hold," Raul Estradera told the Guardian, adding that Mr Ortega continued at the helm and that there was no guarantee his daughter would eventually take over.
"Remember, we are talking about a very, very young person, and nobody knows how things will be in the future," he said.
Ms Ortega will perform the duties of a clerk: sorting garments, monitoring stocks and overseeing merchandise lorries unloading at 7.30am. The only job she will not tackle is the cash register. The company did not reveal whether special security measures would be needed to protect one of Spain's most eligible women.
Ms Ortega, who studied international business in London and has expressed an interest in corporate responsibility, will have month-long stays in the departments of finance, accounting, sales analysis and design. Her apprenticeship will continue at offices in London, Paris and Shanghai.
Until recently, she was better known in the glossy tabloids than in the financial pages. But in December she was named vice president of two Inditex holding companies, Gartler and Partler, which control 59% of Inditex stock, according to Capital business magazine. The role was symbolic, without executive duties, the Inditex spokesman said.
The Spanish press reported that Ms Ortega was being groomed to take over because her father was planning retirement. Other heirs have been discounted from the running.
