Early Life
Jack Lynn Cockwell was born on January 12, 1941, in East London, South Africa. His family moved to Cape Town in 1960. He attended Selborne College and graduated in 1958. Cockwell graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce in 1964 and a Master of Commerce in 1966 from the University of Cape Town.
Rise to Success
In 1968, Cockwell was recruited by the Bronfman family to work for Edper Investments. Under the guidance of Peter Bronfman, he played a crucial role in expanding the Bronfman’s Edper conglomerate. In 1979, Cockwell joined Brascan as senior vice-president for planning and became executive vice-president in 1981. He later became president of the company in 1991. In 1997, Cockwell orchestrated the merger of Edper and Brascan to form Brookfield Corporation. He retired as president and chief executive officer of Brookfield in February 2002, although he remains a director.
Key Business Strategies
Cockwell’s career is marked by his strategic acumen in financial management and deal-making. He focused on acquiring significant holdings in real estate, forestry, and mining, laying the foundation for what would later become Brookfield Asset Management.
Philanthropy
Cockwell has a long-standing philanthropic relationship with Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), where the Cockwell family, and Brookfield Partners Foundation (where he serves as Chair), have donated more than $75 million. In 2011, Cockwell donated $10 million to George Brown College to build Limberlost Place. In 2008, he donated $5 million to the university's nursing school, which was renamed the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing, in honour of his mother.
