Jack Cowin

$2.50 B

Ranked #1622 in World

About Jack Cowin

Jack Cowin, a Canadian-Australian magnate, best known for bringing KFC to Australia and founding Hungry Jack's, has significantly impacted the fast-food industry. Born in Canada, Cowin's entrepreneurial journey began with KFC franchise rights in Western Australia, later leading him to own the exclusive rights to Burger King, which became Hungry Jack's due to trademark issues. As of May 2023, Cowin stands as Australia's 22nd wealthiest individual, with a net worth of A$4.36 billion. His business ventures extend beyond food chains into cattle stations, food processing, and global investments.

Born

July 13, 1942 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada

Age

83 years

Source Of Wealth

Fast Food

Industries

Food & Beverage

Citizenship

Australia

Residence

Sydney

Education

Bachelor of Arts/Science, University of Western Ontario

Spouse

Sharon Cowin

Children

Jack Cowin was born on July 13, 1942, in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario in 1964.

Jack Cowin: Family

Jack Cowin lives in Sydney with his wife, Sharon, and has four children.

Jack Cowin: Career Highlights

Jack Cowin's career highlights include:

Bringing KFC to Australia.
Founding and owning Hungry Jack's, the Burger King franchise in Australia.
Controlling the Domino's Pizza franchise in Australia before its 2005 listing on the ASX.
Ownership stake in the Lone Star Texas Grill restaurant chain in Canada.
Upstream Australian investments in cattle stations and food processing.
Executive Chairman of Competitive Foods Australia, one of Australia's largest privately held businesses.
Former non-executive director of Australia's Ten Network.
Served as Chancellor of the University of Western Ontario from 2015 to 2019.

Jack Cowin: Companies

Jack Cowin has been involved with the following companies:

KFC
Hungry Jack's
Domino's Pizza
Lone Star Texas Grill
Competitive Foods Australia
Consolidated Foods
Stanbroke Pastoral Company
RCX (Rail Crew Express)
TEN Television Network
Chandler MacLeod
Sydney Olympic Park Authority
Fairfax Media
Domino's Pizza Enterprises
BridgeClimb Sydney

Jack Cowin: Major Achievements

Jack Cowin's major achievements include:

Successfully expanding KFC in Australia.
Establishing Hungry Jack's as a successful fast-food chain in Australia.
Taking legal action against Burger King Corp. and winning significant damages.
Building Competitive Foods Australia into one of Australia's largest privately held businesses.
Serving as Chancellor of the University of Western Ontario from 2015 to 2019.

Jack Cowin: Awards & Achievements

Jack Cowin's awards and achievements include:

Honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Western Ontario in 2000.
Served as the 22nd Chancellor of the University from 2015 to 2019.
Donated funds for stands at the new football field named after his father, Stanley J. Cowin.
Active member of the World Presidents Organization.

Jack Cowin: Personal Life & Legacy

Jack Cowin is a Canadian-Australian businessman and entrepreneur. He has been involved in franchised fast food chains in Australia and Canada for many years. He is best known for bringing KFC to Australia and founding Hungry Jack's, the Burger King franchise in Australia. Cowin has also controlled the Domino's Pizza franchise in Australia, owned an ownership stake in the Lone Star Texas Grill restaurant chain in Canada, and made upstream Australian investments in cattle stations and food processing. He is the Executive Chairman of Competitive Foods Australia, one of Australia's largest privately held businesses, and a former non-executive director of Australia's Ten Network. Cowin served as Chancellor of the University of Western Ontario from 2015 to 2019.

Jack Cowin: Trivia

Jack Cowin's net worth was estimated at A$4.36 billion by the Financial Review Rich List in May 2023, ranking him as the 22nd richest Australian. Forbes Asia assessed his net worth at US$1.7 billion in 2019, ranking him as the 23rd richest Australian by net worth.

Wealth History

Timeline

July 13, 1942

Jack Cowin is born in Windsor, Ontario, Canada.

1964

Cowin graduates with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Western Ontario.

1964-1968

Cowin works as an insurance salesman with London Life for four years in Toronto.

1969

Cowin visits Australia to assess business opportunities and sees potential in fast food.

1969

Cowin returns to Australia and buys the right to open ten KFC franchises in Western Australia.

1969

Cowin raises CA$10,000 each from thirty Canadians to launch the KFC business in Australia.

Later

Cowin acquires the rights to Burger King in Australia.

Later

Cowin faces trademark issues with Burger King over the name and franchise agreement.

Later

Cowin renames the Burger King outlets Hungry Jack's.

Later

Cowin has a falling out with Burger King over the name and franchise agreement.

Later

Cowin takes legal action against Burger King Corp. and wins significant damages.

Present

Competitive Foods Australia remains privately held by Cowin's family, estimated at $350 million.

Later

Cowin advocates for the elimination of weekend worker penalty rates in Australia.

Present

Cowin owns Consolidated Foods, a meat processing business with global exports.

Later

Cowin sells a substantial investment in Stanbroke Pastoral Company.

Present

Cowin is an investor in the Lone Star Texas Grill restaurant chain in Canada.

Present

Cowin is a major shareholder in RCX (Rail Crew Express), a US transportation company.

Various

Cowin serves as a non-executive director of various organizations, including TEN Television Network, Chandler MacLeod, Sydney Olympic Park Authority, and Fairfax Media.

Present

Cowin is the Chairman and largest shareholder of Domino's Pizza Enterprises.

Present

Cowin is a Director and 40% shareholder of BridgeClimb Sydney.

Present

Cowin lives in Sydney with his wife, Sharon, and has four children.

2000

Cowin receives an honorary Doctor of Law degree from the University of Western Ontario.

2015-2019

Cowin serves as the 22nd Chancellor of the University of Western Ontario.

Later

Cowin donates funds for stands at the new football field named after his father, Stanley J. Cowin.

Present

Cowin is an active member of the World Presidents Organization.

May 2023

Cowin's net worth is estimated at A$4.36 billion by the Financial Review Rich List, ranking him as the 22nd richest Australian.

2019

Forbes Asia assesses Cowin's net worth at US$1.7 billion, ranking him as the 23rd richest Australian by net worth.

Jack Cowin : FAQs

What is Jack Cowin's current net worth?

Jack Cowin's current net worth is $2.50 billion.

What is Jack Cowin's current global rank among billionaires?

Jack Cowin holds the 1622nd position globally among billionaires.

What is Jack Cowin's current ranking within the Australia?

Jack Cowin holds the 25th position in Australia.

What was the change in Jack Cowin's net worth compared to the previous year?

Jack Cowin's net worth decreased by 1.3 billion dollars compared to the previous year 2025, when his net worth was 3.80 billion dollars.

What is the recent change in Jack Cowin's net worth?

Jack Cowin's net worth decreased by 2.55 million dollars recently, a 0.1% decrease, with his net worth standing at 2.50 billion dollars.

What are Jack Cowin's main sources of wealth?

Jack Cowin's main source of income comes from Fast Food.

In which industry does Jack Cowin primarily operate?

Jack Cowin is primarily involved in the Food & Beverage industry.

What is Jack Cowin educational background?

Jack Cowin holds a Bachelor of Arts/Science from the University of Western Ontario.

How old is Jack Cowin?

Jack Cowin is 83 years old.

How many children does Jack Cowin have?

Jack Cowin has 4 children.

Who is Jack Cowin and what is his significance in Australia's fast food industry?

Jack Cowin is a Canadian-Australian businessman and entrepreneur known for bringing KFC to Australia and founding Hungry Jack's, the Burger King franchise in Australia. He had significant involvement in franchising fast food chains and previously controlled the Domino's Pizza franchise in Australia, making him a prominent figure in the industry.

What kind of businesses does Competitive Foods Australia operate under Jack Cowin's leadership?

Competitive Foods Australia, led by Executive Chairman Jack Cowin, is one of Australia's largest privately held businesses, predominantly operating franchised fast food chains like Hungry Jack's. It also encompasses investments in cattle stations, food processing, and meat exports through Consolidated Foods.

How did Jack Cowin contribute to the expansion of fast food in Australia?

Jack Cowin played a major role in the fast food expansion in Australia by initially investing in KFC franchises in Western Australia. He raised capital from Canadian investors and founded Hungry Jack's after acquiring the rights to Burger King and adapting the brand locally due to a trademark dispute.

How has Jack Cowin's role as an investor and director affected various industries, and what are his notable achievements?

Beyond the food industry, Jack Cowin has served as a director in numerous organizations, has been a substantial investor in the Lone Star Texas Grill chain in Canada, and has been active in ventures such as RCX and BridgeClimb Sydney. His achievements include serving as Chancellor of the University of Western Ontario and being recognized as one of Australia's wealthiest individuals.