The American, who was dedicated in his later life to giving away his $8 billion fortune, donated about $550 million to Australian organisations, with more than $100m going to the University of Queensland.

It named the walkway in front of its historic sandstone Michie and Forgan Smith buildings, Feeney Way in his honour.

UQ said his funds helped in discoveries for vaccines, dementia, heart disease and motor neurone disease. The funds also helped establish UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB), Queensland Brain Institute (QBI), the Australian Institute of Bioengineering and Nanotechnology (AIBN), UQ’s Centre for Clinical Research, the Frazer Institute, the UQ Centre and UQ Art Museum.

He also contributed to Brisbane’s Translational Research Institute, a partnership between UQ, the Queensland University of Technology, Princess Alexandra Hospital and Mater Research.

Earlier this year, former Premier Peter Beattie told the ABC that Feeney gave his government’s Smart State vision credibility.

“He was pivotal, not just in terms of money, but of perception. We got on like a house on fire. I liked him and I knew what he was on about. We were looking for partners and he was like a Godsend,” Beattie said.

Feeney made his wealth from his business Duty Free Shoppers and was so successful in giving away his money that his foundation was dissolved in 2020.

Forbes said he lived in almost “monk-like frugality” but he had set aside $2 million out of the $8 billion for his own retirement.

Because of his clandestine, globe-trotting philanthropy campaign, Forbes called him the James Bond of Philanthropy.

UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor Deborah Terry said the university community was deeply saddened by Feeney’s death and said his “extraordinary generosity” transformed the research landscape at UQ and across Australia, leading to many ground-breaking discoveries.

“Over the past four decades, Chuck and his wife Helga donated more than $8 billion to causes around the world as part of their ‘Giving While Living’ philosophy: dedicate your wealth to charitable causes today, to see its impact within your lifetime,” she said.

“This movement inspired countless others to make the world a better place through philanthropy.

“The Feeneys were introduced to Australia in the 1990s through Chuck’s close friend, Brisbane tennis legend Ken Fletcher. It was Fletcher who helped organise the first meeting between Chuck and then-UQ Vice-Chancellor Professor John Hay, in 1998.

“Inspired by a desire to do good and an appreciation for our national culture, Chuck Feeney gave $550 million to projects across Australia, including more than $100 million to UQ through his foundation The Atlantic Philanthropies.

“Chuck Feeney’s outstanding generosity and visionary leadership have shaped Queensland as a globally significant hub for research and innovation, and have paved the way for the expansion of educational opportunity across the world – particularly in Vietnam.”

UQ also bestowed its highest honour, an Honorary Doctorate, upon Chuck and Helga Feeney, in recognition of their inspiring contributions to research and innovation in Australia and globally.