Jonathan Andic, a suspect in Mango founder's death, steps down from executive role
Listen to this articleEstimated 3 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Jonathan Andic, son of Mango founder Isak Andic, said on Tuesday he was stepping down temporarily as the fashion group's vice-chair after being named a suspect in a probe into his father's death, while strongly asserting his innocence."A public narrative has been constructed that is one-sided, taken out of context and distorted, and which has created a perception of guilt that bears no relation to reality. I know that dismantling it will require time, effort and intense dedication," Andic said in an open letter. A Spanish court last week named Andic as a suspect in the death of his 71-year-old father, who died in December 2024 after falling more than 100 metres from a cliff while the two were hiking together in the mountains outside Barcelona. The judge's writ said there was sufficient evidence to suggest the death may not have been accidental and that Jonathan Andic "played an active and premeditated role."Jonathan Andic was named executive vice-president of Mango's holding company in January 2025, around six weeks after Isak Andic's death. Members of Mango's board issued a statement on Tuesday in support of Jonathan Andic and expressed their "full confidence that the legal proceedings will be resolved favourably and trust that this will happen as swiftly as possible."The judge's writ said the father and son's relationship had deteriorated due to Jonathan Andic's obsession with money and that his WhatsApp messages had expressed "feelings of hatred, resentment and thoughts of death, and blaming his father for his situation."In his letter, Jonathan, 45, disputed that portrayal of their relationship."We shared many happy, cherished and loving moments together. As is the case in so many families, we have also faced difficult and challenging times, which we have overcome through great effort, generosity and support," he wrote.Isak Andic is shown at Mango's fall-winter fashion show in Paris on May 17, 2011. (Thibault Camus/The Associated Press)Isak Andic, who was born in Istanbul, moved to Catalonia in the northeast of Spain in the 1960s and founded Mango in 1984. He built it into a global group seen as a rival to Zara. Mango has over 2,900 retail stores worldwide, according to its website. That includes 14 Canadian locations, all in Ontario and Quebec.At the time of his death, he was non-executive chairman of Mango with a net worth of $4.5 billion US, according to Forbes. Jonathan Andic and his two sisters jointly own 95 per cent of Mango, with five per cent owned by Toni Ruiz, who was named CEO in 2020 and chairman of the company's board shortly after Isak Andic's death.
