Tony Murray (businessman)

Jacques Gaston Murray
Born	Gaston Jacques Kalifa (1920-02-08)8 February 1920 Paris, France
Died	6 June 2023(2023-06-06) (aged 103)
Nationality	British
Occupation	Businessman
Title	Chairman, London Security plc Chairman, Andrew Sykes Group plc
Children	2

Jacques Gaston Murray, known as Tony Murray (born Gaston Jacques Kalifa; 8 February 1920 – 6 June 2023) was a French-born British billionaire businessman.^[1]

Murray owned Andrew Sykes Group, the heating and air-conditioning equipment hire company, and London Security, the Leeds-based fire protection business which includes the Nu-Swift fire extinguisher brand.^[2]

According to The Sunday Times Rich List 2022,^[3] his net worth was estimated at £2.53 billion.

Early life

A De Havilland Mosquito of No. 613 Squadron RAF, pictured in June 1944

Murray was born in Paris, France on 8 February 1920 and was originally named Gaston Jacques Kalifa. His father ran a construction company that worked on infrastructure projects such as bridges.^[4] He was accepted to study architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris before the outbreak of World War II.^[4] He escaped from Paris at the time of the German invasion of France and reached Biarritz where he boarded a Polish ship which took him to England. He enlisted in the Free French forces and eventually transferred to the Royal Air Force (RAF). He flew 38 missions as a navigator in No. 613 Squadron RAF.^[5][4] He received British citizenship after the war.^[6]

His father was murdered in Auschwitz. He was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government.^[7]

Career

In 1982, Murray bought Nu-Swift, a Leeds manufacturer of fire extinguishers then in difficulties, with the businessman Michael Ashcroft. Murray later "became irritated" by Ashcroft getting too much of the credit for turning round the company.^[8]

Personal life and death

His sons, Jean-Jacques Murray and Jean‑Pierre Murray are both directors of London Security, the latter being non-executive.^[9]

Murray turned 100 in February 2020,^[10] and died on 6 June 2023, at the age of 103.^[11]

References

1. "Un Français Libre parmi 51809". francaislibres (in French). Retrieved 15 May 2015.
2. "New billionaire on Yorkshire Rich List | Insider Media Ltd". Insider Media. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
3. "The Sunday Times Rich List 2022". The Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
4. Wood, Martin (24 August 1998). "Murray's made mint without meaning to; French war hero turned international takeover tycoon really wanted a farm". The Birmingham Post. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
5. "Rich List 2015: No.3 - Jacques Gaston Murray & family". The Birmingham Post. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
6. Zhuravlyova, Sonia (11 May 2020). "He escaped Nazi-occupied Paris, flew for RAF - and is on the Rich List aged 100". The Jewish Chronicle. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
7. "Birmingham Post Rich List 2014: No.4 - Jacques Gaston Murray and family (£850m)". The Birmingham Post. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
8. "Movers and shakers among the contacts and business buddies". The Guardian. 17 July 1999. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
9. "London Security PLC". Retrieved 9 September 2016.
10. Stockwatch: Keep backing this 100-year-old chairman
11. Susin, Michael (8 June 2023). "Andrews Sykes, London Security Chairman Jacques-Gaston Murray Dies Aged 103". MarketWatch. Retrieved 8 June 2023.

Further reading

• Obituary at The Times