Nigel Austin
Nigel Austin | |
|---|---|
| Born | September 24, 1970 Geelong, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation | Entrepreneur |
| Known for | Founder of Cotton On Group |
| Notable work | Cotton On, Supre, Factorie, Typo |
Nigel Austin (born 24 September 1970) is a prominent Australian entrepreneur known for his ventures in business and horse racing. He founded the Cotton On Group and holds a 90% controlling stake in the company, which encompasses brands such as Cotton On, Supre, Factorie, and Typo.
Early life
Austin was raised in Geelong, Victoria. His father, the late Grant Austin, managed the publicly listed Austin Group, a clothing wholesale and import firm where Nigel gained valuable industry exposure during school breaks. From the age of eight, he was motivated to pursue a career in retail, inspired by his father’s profession.
In 1988, Austin started selling acid-washed denim jackets directly from his car at Beckley Markets in Geelong. After initially selling one jacket for $30, he negotiated improved pricing with his father and soon sold out 20 jackets the following week. He enrolled in university to study business but left after one year to dedicate himself fully to expanding his apparel venture.
Career
Austin launched his first retail outlet in 1991—a modest shop located behind a butcher’s store operated by his grandfather in Geelong—sourcing products through his father’s business network. He adopted a low-risk approach by choosing an affordable rental space and aimed for $2,000 weekly sales to achieve an annual turnover of $100,000. A year later, his cousin Ashley Hardwick joined the business, assisting in raising funds to grow the store chain by leveraging family supplier relationships that continue to play a vital role.
Over the next fifteen years, the Cotton On Group expanded to over fifty stores across Australia before entering international markets including New Zealand, South Africa, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and the United States.
Austin also founded the Cotton On Foundation to advance healthcare and education initiatives in countries such as Uganda. The foundation was established after his son’s baptism in 2007 and a request from a Geelong parish for support of a healthcare facility in Mannya village. It generates funds through sales of branded items like bracelets, water bottles, and tote bags available at group outlets.
Personal life
Austin is a father of six children, three of whom are with his former wife Tania Austin, who serves as CEO of the women’s fashion label Decjuba. He is currently married to Melanie Austin.
He owns Rosemont Stud, a thoroughbred horse racing enterprise covering more than 566 hectares across Gnarwarre and Ceres in Victoria. The stud’s red and white gatecrasher emblem was originally used as a logo by the Cotton On brand during its early days.
His great-grandmother was the founder of The Austin Hospital in 1882 as a charitable institution; this later evolved into what is known today as the Austin Hospital.
Net worth
In 2017, Forbes Asia estimated Austin’s net worth at 1.36 billion AUD. By May 2025, The Australian Financial Review assessed his wealth at 2.42 billion AUD.
| Year | Australian Financial Review Rich List |
Forbes Australia's 50 Richest | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Net worth (AUD) | Rank | Net worth (USD) | |
| 2017 | $1.36 billion Template:Up | |||
| 2018 | Template:Nts | $1.96 billion Template:Up | ||
| 2019 | Template:Nts Template:Up | $2.68 billion Template:Up | ||
| 2020 | Template:Nts 
|
$1.92 billion
|
||
| 2021 | Template:Nts
|
$1.93 billion Template:Up | ||
| 2022 | Template:Nts Template:Up | $2.00 billion Template:Up | ||
| 2023 | Template:Nts
|
$2.00 billion 
|
||
| 2024 | Template:Nts Template:Up | $2.43 billion Template:Up | ||
| 2025 | Template:Nts
|
$2.42 billion
|
||
| Legend | |
|---|---|
| Icon | Description |
|
|
No change from previous year |
|
Increase from previous year |
| Template:Loss | Decrease from previous year |