John Gandel

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Australian businessman

title: "John Gandel" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["australian-billionaires", "1935-births", "australian-jews", "living-people", "businesspeople-from-melbourne", "australian-people-of-polish-jewish-descent", "australian-philanthropists", "officers-of-the-order-of-australia", "companions-of-the-order-of-australia", "people-educated-at-melbourne-high-school", "philanthropists-from-melbourne"] description: "Australian businessman" topic_path: "geography/australia" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gandel" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Australian businessman ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox person"]

FieldValue
nameJohn Gandel
honorific_suffix
birth_nameAaron Jonna Gandel
birth_date
birth_placeAustralia
spousePauline Gandel
children4
parentsSam and Fay Gandel
relations
occupationProperty developer
educationMelbourne High School
nationalityAustralian
::

|name = John Gandel |honorific_suffix = |image = |caption = |birth_name = Aaron Jonna Gandel |birth_date = |birth_place = Australia |death_date = |death_place = |spouse = Pauline Gandel |children = 4 |parents = Sam and Fay Gandel | relations = |alma_mater = |occupation = Property developer | education = Melbourne High School |nationality = Australian

John Gandel (born 1935 as Aaron Jonna Gandel) is an Australian businessman, property developer and philanthropist. He made his fortune in the development of commercial real estate as well as shopping centres located in Melbourne, Victoria.

Gandel inherited much of his wealth from his Polish-immigrant parents, founders of the Sussan women's clothing chain.

Early life and education

Gandel was born in Australia in 1935, the son of Sam and Fay Gandel, Jewish immigrants from Poland. His parents operated a corsetry store on Collins Street, Melbourne. Gandel was educated at Melbourne High School. He has one sister, Eva Gandel Besen.

Career

In the 1950s, Gandel took control of his parents' women's clothing business (then named Sussan) and with his brother-in-law Marc Besen grew it into a chain of over 200 stores.

In July 1983, Myer sold the Chadstone Shopping Centre to the Gandel Group for $37 million, which has since managed and developed the complex into Australia's biggest shopping mall which is now valued at over A$3 billion. In July 1983, Myer also sold the Northland Shopping Centre to the Gandel Group. Gandel's major assets are 50 per cent shares in Chadstone, and a 17 per cent stake in the listed Vicinity Centres that owns the other half. Gandel also owns significant stakes in listed property companies, besides the stake in Vicinity, worth about A$800 million, and a 15 per cent stake in Sydney-based property group, Charter Hall, in which he invested A$151 million.

According to a January 2012 Herald Sun report, Gandel was the wealthiest man in Melbourne, with an estimated A$3.4 billion net worth. In 2012 Gandel sold his stake in the Northland Shopping Centre for A$455 million and announced an A$500 million hotel and office redevelopment at Chadstone in 2011. In 2006, Gandel bought a 50% stake in Plastro Irrigation Systems, an Israeli irrigation company. In May 2007, the majority owners of the company exercised a right they held and bought back these holdings.

Personal life

Gandel is married to Pauline, who in 2019, was appointed a Companion of the Order of Australia for her work for the community, in humanitarian, philanthropic and fundraising endeavours, and in social inclusion, as well as in building closer relations between Australia and Japan. Together they have had four children. John and Pauline Gandel live in Toorak, Melbourne.

Net worth

, Gandel's net worth was assessed by the Australian Financial Review 7.21 billion as published in the 2025 Rich List. Gandel is one of seven living individuals listed on every Financial Review Rich List since the first list was published in 1984, as the BRW Rich 100.

In 2019, Gandel ranked eighth by Forbes magazine, with an assessed net worth of 4.00 billion.

::data[format=table] | Year | Financial Review Rich List | Forbes Australia's 50 richest | Rank | Net worth bn | Rank | Net worth bn | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | url=https://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/78/australia-rich-10_Kerr-Neilson_NXF8.html |title=Australia's 40 Richest: #6 Kerr Neilson |work=Forbes Asia |date=3 March 2010 |accessdate=18 June 2012 }} | | | | $2.40 billion | | | | url=http://www.brw.com.au/Page/Uuid/8ab8af52-7ea0-11e0-9add-765096dd6fc5 |title=Passport Power |work=BRW Rich 200 Wealth Index |location=Australia |date=25 May 2011 |accessdate=2 June 2012 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121110092252/http://www.brw.com.au/Page/Uuid/8ab8af52-7ea0-11e0-9add-765096dd6fc5 |archivedate=10 November 2012 }} | | $3.45 billion | | $3.30 billion | | | | url=http://www.brw.com.au/p/lists/rich/john_gandel_sBWPjNo0cLfH32PoMysrSM?hl |title=BRW Rich 200 Wealth Index |location=Australia |date=24 May 2012 |accessdate=22 March 2014 }} | | $3.35 billion | | $3.20 billion | | | | url=http://www.brw.com.au/p/lists/rich-200/2013/john_gandel_YlJB7Ati7P6TPFvdQv2Z5N |title=BRW Rich 200: John Gandel|work=BRW |date=22 May 2013 |accessdate=22 March 2014}} | | $3.70 billion | | $3.50 billion | | | | url=http://www.brw.com.au/lists/rich-200/2014/|title=2014 BRW Rich 200|journal=BRW|location=Sydney|date=26 June 2014|accessdate=28 June 2014}} | | $4.08 billion | | $3.20 billion | | | | url=http://www.brw.com.au/lists/interactives/entity.html?entity=john-gandel&edition=32&questions=819,820&sort=1,asc&page=0 |title=BRW Rich 200: John Gandel|work=BRW |date=May 2015 |accessdate=13 June 2015}} | | $4.40 billion | | $3.60 billion | | | | url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-05-26/brw-rich-list-topped-by-harry-triguboff/7448044 |title=BRW rich list topped by Harry Triguboff, Gina Rinehart slips to fourth |work=ABC News |access-date=26 May 2016 |date=26 May 2016}} | | $5.40 billion | | $3.20 billion | | | | url=http://www.afr.com/leadership/afr-lists/rich-list/financial-review-rich-list-2017-20170525-gwcvr6 |editor=Stensholt, John |title=Financial Review Rich List 2017 |work=Australian Financial Review |date=25 May 2017 |accessdate=8 June 2017 }} | | $6.05 billion | | | | | | url=http://www.afr.com/brand/afr-magazine/rich-list-overview-20180413-h0yqo5|title=2018 AFR Rich List: Who are Australia's richest people?|work=Australian Financial Review|publisher=Fairfax Media|date=25 May 2018|last=Stensholt|first=John|accessdate=26 May 2018}} | | $6.45 billion | | | | | | url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-10-wealthiest-people-revealed-20190529-p51sj0|title=Australia's 200 richest people revealed|work=Australian Financial Review|publisher=Nine Publishing|date=30 May 2019|editor=Bailey, Michael|accessdate=31 May 2019}} | | $6.60 billion | | $4.00 billion | | | | url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/the-10-richest-australians-revealed-20201028-p569c7|url-access=subscription|title=The full list: Australia's wealthiest 200 revealed|work=Australian Financial Review|publisher=Nine Publishing|date=30 October 2020|author1=Bailey, Michael|author2=Sprague, Julie-anne|access-date=31 October 2020}} | | $5.45 billion | | | | | | author1=Bailey, Michael |author2=Sprague, Julie-anne |url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-10-richest-people-revealed-20210526-p57vfr |title=The 200 richest people in Australia revealed |work=Australian Financial Review |date=27 May 2021 |access-date=28 May 2021}} | | $5.80 billion | | | | | | 2022 | | $6.20 billion | | | | | | author1=Bailey, Michael |author2=Sprague, Julie-anne |url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-10-richest-people-revealed-20230523-p5dapa |title=The 200 richest people in Australia revealed |work=Australian Financial Review |date=26 May 2023 |access-date=6 June 2023}} | | $6.33 billion | | | | | | author1=Redrup, Yolanda |author2=Bailey, Michael |url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-10-richest-people-revealed-20240521-p5jfe4 |title=Australia's wealthiest 200 now control $625b |work=Australian Financial Review |date=30 May 2024 |access-date=18 September 2024}} | | $6.94 billion | | | | | | author1=Redrup, Yolanda |url=https://www.afr.com/rich-list/australia-s-wealthiest-200-revealed-fortunes-blow-past-667b-20250509-p5lxxb |title=Australia’s wealthiest 200 revealed, fortunes blow past $667b |work=Australian Financial Review |date=30 May 2025 |access-date=31 May 2025 |url-access=subscription }} | | $7.21 billion | | | | | ::

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Philanthropy

Since 1978, Gandel and his wife, Pauline, have headed up Gandel Philanthropy, one of the largest philanthropic family funds in Australia. The foundation provides grants to charitable community organisations for Jewish and Australian causes. Gandel's philanthropy has focused on Judaism, education, medical causes and the arts. In 2010 he donated A$7.5 million to the National Gallery of Australia;

In 1990, Gandel was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to business, commerce and to the community. In 2017, he was appointed a Companion of the Order for his eminent service to the community as a benefactor and supporter of a range of visual arts and cultural institutions, to youth education, medical and biotechnology innovation programs, to business, and to the advancement of philanthropic giving.

References

References

  1. [http://www.bigpondmoney.com.au/john-gandel Big Pond Money: John Gandel] {{webarchive. link. (29 January 2013 19 July 2012)
  2. [http://www.gandel.org.il/john-gandel-eng.html The Gandel Institute for Adult Jewish Learning: About Us - Mr John Gandel AO & Mrs Pauline Gandel] {{webarchive. link. (26 January 2013 retrieved 9 March 2013.)
  3. In 1983, he bought the [[Chadstone Shopping Centre]], selling Sussan to his brother-in-law in 1985 to concentrate on real estate. He subsequently built his fortune in shopping centres.[https://web.archive.org/web/20230911072733/https://www.afr.com/companies/the-mall-master-20040520-ka7o7 The mall master] ''[[Australian Financial Review]]'' 20 May 2004
  4. Hurley, David. (8 January 2012). "Locals in wealth's top deck". Herald Sun.
  5. Waters, Cara. (12 April 2012). "Beware over-expansion: Reclusive retail billionaire John Gandel on how he's navigating the slowdown". Smart company.
  6. Gavison, Yoram. (11 June 2007). "John Deere negotiating to buy controlling interest in Plastro". Haaretz.
  7. (26 January 2019). "Australia Day Honours". [[Australian Jewish News]].
  8. (3 March 2010). "Australia's 40 Richest: #5 John Gandel". Forbes Asia.
  9. Thomson, James. (22 May 2013). "Celebrating 30 years of the Rich 200". BRW Rich 200.
  10. (3 March 2010). "Australia's 40 Richest: #6 Kerr Neilson". Forbes Asia.
  11. (25 May 2011). "Passport Power". BRW Rich 200 Wealth Index.
  12. (1 February 2011). "Australia's 40 Richest: #8 Kerr Neilson". Forbes.
  13. (24 May 2012). "BRW Rich 200 Wealth Index".
  14. (22 May 2013). "BRW Rich 200: John Gandel". BRW.
  15. (1 February 2013). "Australia's 50 Richest: #8 John Gandel". Forbes Asia.
  16. (26 June 2014). "2014 BRW Rich 200". BRW.
  17. Rollason, Adam. (30 January 2014). "Rinehart on top, Palmer down on Forbes rich list". AFR Weekend.
  18. (May 2015). "BRW Rich 200: John Gandel". BRW.
  19. (February 2015). "Australia's 50 Richest: #6 John Gandel". Forbes Asia.
  20. (26 May 2016). "BRW rich list topped by Harry Triguboff, Gina Rinehart slips to fourth". ABC News.
  21. (January 2016). "2016 Australia's 50 Richest". Forbes Asia.
  22. (25 May 2017). "Financial Review Rich List 2017". [[Australian Financial Review]].
  23. Stensholt, John. (25 May 2018). "2018 AFR Rich List: Who are Australia's richest people?". Fairfax Media.
  24. (30 May 2019). "Australia's 200 richest people revealed". Nine Publishing.
  25. (January 2019). "2019 Australia's 50 Richest". Forbes Asia.
  26. (30 October 2020). "The full list: Australia's wealthiest 200 revealed". Nine Publishing.
  27. (27 May 2021). "The 200 richest people in Australia revealed". [[Australian Financial Review]].
  28. (26 May 2023). "The 200 richest people in Australia revealed". [[Australian Financial Review]].
  29. (30 May 2024). "Australia's wealthiest 200 now control $625b". [[Australian Financial Review]].
  30. (30 May 2025). "Australia’s wealthiest 200 revealed, fortunes blow past $667b". [[Australian Financial Review]].
  31. (14 October 2017). "Quiet billionaire's next move". [[The Australian]].
  32. "Our Granting Philosophy".
  33. Cashman, Greer Fay. (23 May 2006). "Hebrew U president: Don't take Israel's Jewishness for granted. Gandel Institute for Adult Learning launched to foster Jewish literacy". The Jerusalem Post.
  34. {{Cite It's an Honour. (26 January 1990)
  35. {{Cite It's an Honour. (12 June 2017)
  36. (13 June 2017). "John Gandel AO awarded AC". Philanthropy Australia.

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australian-billionaires1935-birthsaustralian-jewsliving-peoplebusinesspeople-from-melbourneaustralian-people-of-polish-jewish-descentaustralian-philanthropistsofficers-of-the-order-of-australiacompanions-of-the-order-of-australiapeople-educated-at-melbourne-high-schoolphilanthropists-from-melbourne