Frank Lowy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Frank Lowy
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Lowy at the Australian Football Awards in October 2011
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| Born |
Frank P. Lowy
22 October 1930 |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Businessman, investor |
| Years active | 1952−present |
| Known for | Co-founder, Westfield |
| Board member of |
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| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3; including Steven Lowy |
Sir Frank Lowy (born 22 October 1930) is a famous Australian-Israeli businessman. He is known for co-founding the Westfield company. Westfield became a huge global company that owned and managed shopping centres. In June 2018, a French company bought Westfield Corporation.
Frank Lowy was also the first chairman of Scentre Group. This company owns and manages Westfield shopping centres in Australia and New Zealand. He also started the Lowy Institute, which is a leading group in Australia that studies international affairs. He is also the chairman of the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel. This group looks at important issues for Israel's safety and the Middle East.
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Frank Lowy's Early Life
Frank Lowy was born in what is now Slovakia. During World War II, he was forced to live in a special area called a ghetto in Hungary. In 1946, he traveled to France. From there, he boarded a ship called Yagur to go to Mandatory Palestine. However, British authorities stopped his ship. They sent him to a detention camp in Cyprus.
After leaving the camp, Lowy joined the Haganah. This was a Jewish defense organization. Later, he joined the Golani Brigade. He fought in the 1948 Arab–Israeli War in areas like Galilee and the Gaza.
Building a Business Empire
In 1952, Frank Lowy left Israel to join his family in Australia. His family had started a small business delivering goods. In 1953, he met another immigrant named John Saunders. They became business partners. Together, they created the Westfield Development Corporation. Their first shopping centre was built in Blacktown, in Sydney.
Over the next 30 years, Lowy and Saunders built many shopping centres. They expanded across Australia and into the United States starting in 1977. In 1960, their company was listed on the Australian Stock Exchange. John Saunders sold his share and left the company in 1987. In the 1990s, Lowy expanded Westfield into New Zealand. In the 2000s, it grew into the United Kingdom.
Frank Lowy was also a Director of the Reserve Bank of Australia from 1995 to 2005. In 2015, he stepped down as chairman of the Scentre Group. He had held that role for 55 years. His sons, Steven and Peter, took over as joint chief executives of the Westfield Group.
Frank Lowy's Family Life
Frank Lowy married Shirley Rusanow in 1954. They met at a Jewish dance when he was 21. They have three sons: Peter, Steven, and David. Peter and Steven managed the Westfield business. David manages the family's private investments.
His wife, Shirley, started the Chai Foundation. This group helps fund research to find better ways to treat cancer. Lady Lowy passed away in Tel Aviv in December 2020. She had been battling dementia for a long time. Frank Lowy has spoken openly about how difficult it was to slowly lose his wife.
How Much Is Frank Lowy Worth?
Frank Lowy is one of the richest people in Australia. He has been on the Financial Review Rich List since it first started in 1984. In 2010, he was Australia's richest person. His wealth was estimated at A$5.04 billion. By 2025, his net worth was estimated to be A$10.28 billion. Forbes Asia magazine also listed him as one of Australia's wealthiest people.
Lowy's Impact on Australian Football
Frank Lowy has played a huge role in Australian football (soccer). In the 1980s, he was president of the Hakoah Social Club. This club was connected to the Hakoah Sydney City East FC football team.
In 2003, the sport in Australia was facing problems. The Prime Minister and Sports Minister asked Lowy to lead a new board. Lowy helped create the "Australia Soccer Association," which later became Football Federation Australia (FFA). This new organization helped restart soccer in Australia.
Lowy was the chairman of the FFA from 2003 to November 2015. Many people say he helped bring soccer back to life in Australia. A new professional league, the "A-League," was created. Australia also became a member of the Asian Football Confederation.
In 2007, Lowy led a campaign for Australia to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup. The Australian Government supported this effort with A$43 million. However, in 2010, FIFA chose Qatar to host the World Cup instead.
In 2015, Lowy fell off a stage during an A-League trophy presentation. He had surgery later that year for a complication from the fall. After his term ended, his son Steven Lowy took over as chairman of the FFA. This decision caused some debate. Eventually, FIFA stepped in, leading to changes in how Australian football was run. Steven later resigned from the role.
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Giving Back to the Community
Frank Lowy is known for his generous donations and support for many causes. In 2002, he was named Australia's top giver by Philanthropy Australia. He had donated A$10 million that year.
In 2003, to celebrate 50 years since he arrived in Australia, Lowy started the Lowy Institute. This group studies international policy and Australia's role in the world. He gave A$30 million to set up the Institute.
In 2010, Lowy and his family donated A$10 million to build the UNSW Lowy Cancer Research Centre. This center works to find cures for cancer. In 2022, he also donated $18 million to Tel Aviv University.
Remembering the Past: March of the Living
In April 2013, Frank Lowy took part in the March of the Living. This event brings thousands of young students to Auschwitz-Birkenau to remember the Holocaust. Lowy shared the story of his father, Hugo Lowy, who died during the Holocaust.
When Frank was 13, he did not know what happened to his father. Hugo Lowy was beaten to death at Auschwitz. This happened because he refused to leave behind his Jewish prayer bag. To honor his father and other Hungarian Jews, Lowy paid to restore a railway wagon. This wagon had transported Hungarian Jews to Auschwitz. He placed it at the former concentration camp.
During the memorial ceremony, Lowy spoke to the students. He said, "So here I am, with you all in Birkenau. I know he was also here, under this same sky. Just like almost half a million Hungarian Jews, he came to this place in a wagon and, almost immediately after arriving, disappeared as smoke into the sky. I was 13 when I lost my father, and now I am 82 – and you know, I still miss him."
Awards and Special Recognition
Frank Lowy has received many awards for his work and generosity. In 2000, he was given the title of Companion of the Order of Australia. This was for his service to the community, especially in developing the property industry and retail sector. It also recognized his support for social and cultural projects.
In 2005, he received the Woodrow Wilson Award for Corporate Citizenship. This was for starting the Lowy Institute. In 2008, Australia Post honored him with a special commemorative stamp. This stamp was part of the Australian Legends series, recognizing him as one of Australia's top living philanthropists.
In 2017, he was knighted in the United Kingdom. This was for his services to business and philanthropy. In November 2024, Frank Lowy received Israel’s highest civilian award, the Israeli Presidential Medal of Honour. This award recognized his dedication to Israel and his support for Jewish communities in Australia.
