SWEDEN: H&M Founder Erling Persson Dies
The founder of Swedish fashion giant Hennes & Mauritz AB, Erling Persson, died on Monday aged 85 following a short illness. Mr Persson opened his first store near Stockholm in 1947 and over the next 55 years saw it grow into an 800 store empire that has a retail presence in 14 countries and employs more than 34,000 people.