Who Is Julia Koch, NY Giants’ Minority Owner? All About Her Family, Children and More

The New York Giants just made headlines with a major ownership shake-up. According to Turner & Williams of Bloomberg News, the team has “agreed to sell a minority stake” to Julia Koch and members of the Koch family. The deal isn’t fully sealed yet, though. Sources also revealed the talks are “subject to final agreement by both sides, with the expectation to present the deal to other NFL owners in October.” For Big Blue, that means a fresh face could soon be joining the iconic Mara and Tisch ownership legacy. But here’s a thing, this move didn’t just happen out of nowhere.

Back in February, the Mara and Tisch families brought in Moelis & Co. to explore a potential minority, non-controlling sale. And Koch herself has been “looking to invest in New York sports assets.” And she’s not new to the game either. Just last year, Julia and her three children purchased a 15% stake in BSE Global—the parent company of the Nets, Liberty, and Barclays Center—valued at $6 billion, as noted by Bloomberg News on September 3. Clearly, she’s steadily planting her footprint in New York’s sports empire.

But now the question is: who exactly is Julia?

A humble beginning

Julia Margaret Flesher Koch isn’t just a socialite and philanthropist, she’s also one of the wealthiest women alive. But her story starts far away from the glamor of New York high society. Born in 1963 in Indianola, Iowa, she came from what many would call a modest background. As per a 1998 New York Times report, her family once ran a furniture store along Highway 92. Later, when she was about eight, her parents packed up and shifted to Conway, a small town north of Little Rock, Arkansas, where they opened a clothing store.

However, her path started to shift gears once she graduated from the University of Central Arkansas. With ambition in her stride, Julia first tried her hand at modeling. But it was her big leap to New York City in 1984 that changed the course of her life. There, she landed a job working as an assistant to fashion designer Adolfo, who at the time had a strong reputation in political and social circles. This role even brought her close to the White House, as she worked with none other than First Lady Nancy Reagan.

But the real twist came in January 1991 when she met billionaire businessman David Koch on a blind date.

Julia’s personal life

Though, truth be told, sparks didn’t exactly fly that night. In fact, Julia herself recalled her initial impression of him, saying, “I’m glad I met that man because now I know I never want to go out with him.” Yet fate had other plans. The two ran into each other again at a party, and this time things clicked. What began as skepticism turned into love, and by 1996, Julia and David were married. Together, they welcomed three children into their lives—Mary Julia Koch, John Mark Koch, and David Koch Jr.—marking the start of a new family chapter.

Then, only a year after their wedding, Julia’s presence in New York society circles became official. In December 1997, she stepped into the spotlight at the Met Gala, what the New York Times called her “New York society debut.” That year she co-chaired the gala alongside Anna Wintour and Patrick McCarthy. Speaking about Julia, McCarthy captured her sudden impact on the city’s elite scene, noting, “one of those people who occur in New York every few years…she’s beautiful, she loves fashion, she knows how to entertain, she’s married to an extraordinarily rich man.”

From there, her lifestyle elevated to the kind of luxury most can only imagine. Julia and David first lived in an apartment at 1040 Fifth Avenue. But by 2004, they had upgraded to an 18-room duplex at the prestigious 740 Park Avenue. According to the book 740 Park: The Story of the World’s Richest Apartment Building, David bought the place for about $17 million from the Japanese government, which had used it as a residence for its UN representative. Years later, in 2018, the couple expanded their property empire by purchasing an eight-bedroom townhouse in Manhattan from investor Joseph Chetrit for a staggering $40.25 million.

Heartbreak and new beginning

However, the fairytale took a sharp turn in August 2019 when David Koch passed away. Despite the heartbreak, Julia stood tall and carried forward his legacy. She inherited a 42% stake in Koch Industries, a company that had long been central to her husband’s empire. And as of 2025, Forbes pegs her fortune at an eye-watering $81.2 billion. Today, her influence stretches beyond the ballroom and boardroom.

Now, by becoming a minority owner of the Giants, Julia Koch is not just upholding a family legacy but also carving her own space in the NFL, bridging the worlds of high society wealth and die-hard football culture.