The Alicante province remains the sole representative from its region on Forbes’ annual list of Spain’s hundred wealthiest individuals. The ranking is led again by Amancio Ortega, the largest shareholder of the Inditex group, whose wealth rose by as much as 53 percent, reflecting a strong overall performance. Eight entries from across the Valencian Community appear in the list.
The autonomy ranks fourth in the nation for the presence of large fortunes, following Catalonia, which is home to 29 of the hundred, Madrid with 28, and Galicia with nine. In total, the hundred wealthiest Spaniards accumulate 196.13 billion euros in assets. Several fortunes grew by substantial margins compared with the previous year, despite the challenges posed by the Ukraine war and inflation trends linked to the ongoing conflict.
Adolfo Utor Returns to Forbes’ Hundred Richest Spaniards with 350 Million Euros
Among the Valencian entrants, Adolfo Utor, the head of Baleària, remains the sole Alicante figure on the list, climbing five places to 91st. Forbes attributes his estimated fortune at 350 million euros, marking a notable rise from last year and a return to form after modest declines in 2020 and 2021. The elevation surpasses the 2019 peak when Utor first entered Forbes’ ranking.
Adolfo Utor, president of Baleària, is pictured at the company’s premises. The growth in Utor’s assets is linked to improved revenue performance for the shipping group in the latest financial year, with turnover of 563 million euros, a 42 percent increase. This recovery follows a robust post-pandemic rebound, particularly in tourism-adjacent sectors where the industry faced earlier headwinds.
Forbes notes that the uplift in Baleària’s earnings helped sustain Utor’s standing in the list, countering earlier periods when the sector’s fortunes lagged due to tourism-related pressures.
Valencian Community
Within the Valencian cohort, Juan Roig remains the highest-ranked figure from the region, holding the fifth position by total holdings. The Mercadona chairman’s estimated fortune stands at 3.9 billion euros, roughly 500 million more than Forbes’ prior edition attributed to him. Roig’s leadership illustrates the region’s strength in consumer retail ownership and value creation in the Spanish economy.
Next is Hortensia Herrero, Roig’s wife, who controls 27 percent of Mercadona. Herrero drops to 15th place this year despite a near 300 million euro increase in wealth, bringing her estimated assets to about 2.2 billion euros. Her continued stake in the family’s flagship chain underscores the enduring influence of the Valencian business dynasty on the national economy.
From Manufacturing to Fertility Clinics
The Valencian business community is further represented by Fernando Roig, owner of the Pamesa tile group, who ranks 28th with roughly 1.3 billion euros in assets. Antonio Pellicer, founder of the IVI fertility institute, remains a notable name after the clinic group’s sale to a major investment fund earlier in the year, with an asset estimate around 900 million euros. Asuncion Mazanet, the principal shareholder of Porcelanosa, stands at 66th with approximately 585 million euros, highlighting the diverse range of Valencian industries in Forbes’ list.
Forbes List: Ortega’s Rise Among the World’s Richest
In a broader sweep, the list also features notable regional names such as Javier Gómez-Trenor and his family, who are linked to a 400 million euro stake in Coca-Cola Europe Pacific Partners, one of the region’s largest bottling operations. Additionally, Vicente Boluda, a prominent shipowner and head of the Valencian Employers’ Association, ranks 95th with about 350 million euros in wealth, underscoring the long-standing maritime and industrial heritage of the area. Boluda’s enterprise is recognized as one of the world’s largest tugboat groups, reflecting the region’s continued leadership in maritime services.
Overall, Forbes presents a portrait of a region with deep roots in manufacturing, retail, shipping, and service sectors. The latest rankings reaffirm the stability and resilience of Valencian enterprises, even as global economic conditions fluctuate and traditional industries adapt to new market realities.
Notes: All figures reflect Forbes’ estimates for the year and are reported with the publication’s standard methodology adjustment in each regional edition. The article focuses on the wealth distribution within Spain and highlights the Valencian Community’s contribution to the national top hundred, including the Alicante representation through Adolfo Utor and the broader leadership of regional business figures in Mercadona and related enterprises. (Forbes, 2024)