Arise Sir Frank
SHOAH survivor turned tycoon Sir Frank Lowy expressed his pride this week at receiving a prestigious royal honour.
SHOAH survivor turned tycoon Sir Frank Lowy expressed his pride this week at receiving a prestigious royal honour.
The man, who most Australians know as the founder of Westfield and the saviour of the Socceroos, and in the Jewish community as a firm friend and a major donor to many organisations, has been bestowed with a knighthood by the Queen for his contribution to the UK economy.
Lowy’s story is the ultimate Australian story. Born in Czechoslovakia, he survived the Holocaust, a detention camp in Cyprus and Israel’s War of Independence before settling in Sydney where he started a small business which he turned it into an international empire.
Reacting to the knighthood, Lowy said, “No individual alone can achieve the things we have in London.
“I had been trying to establish a business in the UK since the mid-1970s but for various reasons it wasn’t until 2000 that we finally made it.
“That breakthrough was enormously satisfying, and I’m proud that we have been able to make such a powerful economic contribution, as well as support a number of very worthy philanthropic projects.”
In Australia, Lowy was made a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC), the highest honour available to Australians, in 2000 and he received the Centenary Medal in 2001 joining a select group of esteemed Australians.
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