He made his fortune in the development of commercial real estate as well as shopping centres located in Melbourne, Victoria.
[4] 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.
[4] In 1983, he bought the Chadstone Shopping Centre, selling Sussan to his brother-in-law in 1985 to concentrate on real estate.
[8] In more recent years, he has started to wind down his full on involvement with the company and has since hired Peter Bird as the chief financial officer According to a January 2012 Herald Sun report, Gandel was the wealthiest man in Melbourne, with an estimated A$3.4 billion net worth.
[4][34] In 1990, Gandel was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in recognition of his service to business, commerce and to the community.
[35] 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.