Early Life
Frank Lowy was born in Fil'akovo, Czechoslovakia (now Slovakia) on October 22, 1930. During World War II, he and his family were forced to live in a ghetto in Hungary. After the war, Lowy made his way to France and then to Palestine, where he joined the Haganah and later fought in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War.
Rise to Success
In 1952, Lowy immigrated to Australia. He partnered with John Saunders and founded Westfield Development Corporation in 1953. The company developed shopping centers across Australia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Westfield went public in 1960. Lowy served as the Executive Chairman of Westfield for 50 years, stepping down in 2011 to become the non-executive chairman. Westfield was acquired by Unibail-Rodamco in 2018.
Key Business Strategies
Lowy's success was built on a keen understanding of property development and retail trends. He focused on building large-scale shopping centers in suburban areas.
Philanthropy
Lowy has been a generous philanthropist, donating to various causes. In 2002, he was named Australia's leading philanthropist. In 2003, he founded the Lowy Institute, a think tank focused on international policy. He has also supported cancer research and other initiatives. In 2022, he donated $18 million to Tel Aviv University.