Early Life
Jack Lynn Cockwell was born on January 12, 1941, in East London, South Africa. He attended Selborne College and later pursued higher education, earning a Bachelor of Commerce and a Master of Commerce from the University of Cape Town.
Rise to Success
Cockwell's career began with Touche Ross in Cape Town, where he worked as a clerk while studying. In 1968, he was recruited by the Bronfman family to work for Edper Investments. He played a key role in expanding the Bronfmans' Edper conglomerate, venturing into real estate, forestry, and mining, which laid the groundwork for Brookfield Asset Management. He orchestrated the merger of Edper and Brascan to form Brookfield Corporation in 1997. Cockwell retired as president and CEO of Brookfield in 2002 but remains a director.
Key Business Strategies
Cockwell is known for his strategic vision and his ability to build companies. He focused on building and transforming the operation bringing in a significant amount of third-party capital. He is also a shareholder of Partners Ltd, a private company consisting of a small group of former Edper managers that owns a majority voting share of Brookfield.
Philanthropy
Cockwell has a longstanding philanthropic relationship with Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU), where he is a major benefactor. He has donated over $75 million to TMU through the Cockwell family and the Brookfield Partners Foundation. His contributions have supported various initiatives, including the Daphne Cockwell School of Nursing and the Brookfield Institute for Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Cockwell also serves as Chair of Brookfield Partners Foundation.
