MADRID (Reuters) - Zara owner Inditex has started the year at "full capacity," CEO Oscar Garcia Maceiras told Expansion newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday, adding that he is optimistic about the year.

"The 2023 financial year has started with a good performance, the company is at full capacity, all markets are working properly and we are optimistic about the evolution of the year," said García Maceiras in the interview.

Under the helm of Garcia Maceiras, who took over as CEO at the end of 2021, when Marta Ortega, daughter of Inditex founder Amancio, became chairman, the company's business recovered and surpassed pre-pandemic levels faster than its main competitors.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Corina Pons; editing by Louise Heavens; Spanish edition by Flora Gómez)