Arthur Ryan, the founder and former CEO of the clothing retailer Primark, has passed away after a short illness, the company said. He was 83. Ryan founded the company in 1962 under the name Penneys. The name was changed to Primark when the company moved from Ireland to the UK in 1974. He is survived by his wife Alma and daughter Jess. His son Barry drowned in 2015 during a boating accident near Cork.