Frank Lowy: Pushing The Limits

by Jill Margo

A native of Czechoslovakia, Lowy is a Holocaust survivor who left Eastern Europe in 1946 to fight in the Jewish underground in what was Palestine, fighting Arabs during the day, he studied at night. Immigrating to Australia in 1951, Lowy started out by delivering sandwiches for a Sydney deli. He made his first real estate profit subdividing a vacant lot. By 1974, he had become Australia's dominant mall operator. With Australia conquered, he turned to the US. Lowy is betting he can change the shopping habits of consumers in America.

Genres: Biography, Business

Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[Brooke Honig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book , it is my second read of it and it still amazes me how he kept going

[Fleur Ford · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing story! From the most horrific start in Nazi Europe, Lowy was able to survive and escape first to Israel then Australia. This early life experience of uncertainty and and having to use your wits or perish has driven Lowy to never rest and live by the motto that failure is never an option. This has resulted in his company relentlessly growing, with the help of the three most high inflation decades ever, into Australia's most successful. His success has been that interesting dynamic of relentless hard work and, in his own words, good timing.
from a business perspective, it was interesting to read that he never gave away anything for free, there was always a "transaction", even if it was giving a starving immigrant food from his deli, it was on credit, not free! rich person thinking!
Really well written by Margo, a good read.

[Pete Abela · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a great read - especially the first half which read like a combination of Jeffrey Archer's Kane and Abel and The Fourth Estate. It slowed a little toward the end, but overall still an enjoyable read and great insight into one of Australia's most eminent businessmen. The contrast between his life as a persecuted Jew in WWII and the position he eventually occupies makes for compelling reading.

[Queen Bzyb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic! Such an amazing life and very well told. A lot of names to digest at some points and business transactions quite technical at times but so interesting from a personal and business perspective. I have a new-found respect for Frank and the Lowy family.

[Dave Bolton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Working for Westfield, I thought I should read about the guy who started it all. Not as exciting as, say, Richard Branson's biography, it was nonetheless revealing to the motivations and values of the company and the Lowy family. I was particularly moved by the descriptions of what he went through in the second world war and just after. I also found the corporate maneuvers interesting too.