Full Name
Ben Cowan-Dewar
Job Title
Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer
Company/ Property
Cabot
Speaker Bio
In 2004, Ben Cowan‐Dewar set out to turn a former mining site on the west coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia into a world-class golf destination. Today, Cowan Dewar, co‐founder and CEO of Cabot, is credited for his growing business success and for his role in revitalizing the economy in a region of rural Nova Scotia. Under his leadership, Cabot has evolved into a prestigious collection of seven extraordinary
destinations, featuring award-winning golf courses, internationally renowned amenities, and master-planned luxury residential communities.
With Cowan-Dewar at the helm and multiple strategic developments in the works, Cabot has been called the fastest growing brand in golf. The Cabot portfolio includes Cabot Cape Breton in Nova Scotia,Canada, Cabot Saint Lucia in the Caribbean, Cabot Revelstoke in British Columbia, Canada, Cabot Highlands in Scotland, Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida, USA, Cabot Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France, and Lofoten Links in
Lofoten, Norway. Cabot destinations seamlessly integrate unrivalled golf and luxurious amenities with their breathtaking natural surroundings. Renowned for building exceptional golf courses and luxury residential communities in extraordinary yet remote locations, Cabot destinations promise unique and unforgettable experiences for guests and homeowners.
In 2024, Ben was ranked #10 in Golf Inc’s “Most Powerful People in Golf” list and named one of “The 100 Most Influential People in Golf” by Today’s Golfer, who described him as “the hottest golf developer on the planet”. Appointed as the Chair of Destination Canada by the Governor in Council in 2017, a role he served until 2021, Cowan-Dewar has made significant contributions to the tourism sector. He is a
member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by Governor General David Johnston in June 2017 for his visionary leadership in building Cabot and his contributions to the Inverness community and Cape Breton economy. In 2020, Cowan-Dewar was one of nine business leaders named to the Industry Strategy Council, supporting Canada’s economic recovery from COVID-19.
destinations, featuring award-winning golf courses, internationally renowned amenities, and master-planned luxury residential communities.
With Cowan-Dewar at the helm and multiple strategic developments in the works, Cabot has been called the fastest growing brand in golf. The Cabot portfolio includes Cabot Cape Breton in Nova Scotia,Canada, Cabot Saint Lucia in the Caribbean, Cabot Revelstoke in British Columbia, Canada, Cabot Highlands in Scotland, Cabot Citrus Farms in Florida, USA, Cabot Bordeaux in Bordeaux, France, and Lofoten Links in
Lofoten, Norway. Cabot destinations seamlessly integrate unrivalled golf and luxurious amenities with their breathtaking natural surroundings. Renowned for building exceptional golf courses and luxury residential communities in extraordinary yet remote locations, Cabot destinations promise unique and unforgettable experiences for guests and homeowners.
In 2024, Ben was ranked #10 in Golf Inc’s “Most Powerful People in Golf” list and named one of “The 100 Most Influential People in Golf” by Today’s Golfer, who described him as “the hottest golf developer on the planet”. Appointed as the Chair of Destination Canada by the Governor in Council in 2017, a role he served until 2021, Cowan-Dewar has made significant contributions to the tourism sector. He is a
member of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal by Governor General David Johnston in June 2017 for his visionary leadership in building Cabot and his contributions to the Inverness community and Cape Breton economy. In 2020, Cowan-Dewar was one of nine business leaders named to the Industry Strategy Council, supporting Canada’s economic recovery from COVID-19.
