Primark's founder Arthur Ryan has died at the age of 83, the company has confirmed. Ryan opened his first shop, Penneys, in Dublin more than 50 years ago after he was given the task of creating a discount clothing store by his boss.
Just over 10 years later he opened up in Britain, calling the shop Primark to avoid a legal battle with US brand JC Penney. Primark went on to become a household name, bringing 'cheap chic' to the UK High Street with a total of 370 stores across 12 different countries.
Ryan, often described as a workaholic, was chief executive until 2009, stepping into the chairman's seat where he remained until his death. He oversaw a huge expansion of the business, which took annual sales to £2billion a year.
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