Tony Murray (businessman)

{{Short description|French-born British businessman (1920–2023)}}

{{Infobox person

| name = Jacques Gaston Murray

| image =

| caption =

| birth_name = Gaston Jacques Kalifa

| birth_date = {{birth date|1920|2|8|df=y}}

| birth_place = Paris, France

| death_date = {{death date and age|2023|6|6|1920|2|7|df=y}}

| death_place =

| nationality = British

| education =

| occupation = Businessman

| title = Chairman, London Security plc
Chairman, Andrew Sykes Group plc

| known_for =

| spouse =

| children = 2

| website =

}}

Jacques Gaston Murray, known as Tony Murray (born Gaston Jacques Kalifa; 8 February 1920 – 6 June 2023) was a French-born British billionaire businessman.{{cite web|title=Un Français Libre parmi 51809|url=http://www.francaislibres.net/liste/fiche.php?index=87147|website=francaislibres |access-date=15 May 2015|language=French}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.insidermedia.com/insider/yorkshire/138236-new-billionaire-yorkshire-rich-list/|publisher=Insider Media |title=New billionaire on Yorkshire Rich List | Insider Media Ltd|date=24 April 2015 |access-date=9 September 2016}}

According to The Sunday Times Rich List 2022,{{Cite web|url=https://www.thetimes.com/sunday-times-rich-list|title = The Sunday Times Rich List 2022|website = The Times|access-date=14 June 2022}} his net worth was estimated at £2.53 billion.

Early life

File:613 Squadron Mosquito FB.VI at RAF Lasham June 1944.jpg 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.{{cite news|last1=Wood|first1=Martin|title=Murray's made mint without meaning to; French war hero turned international takeover tycoon really wanted a farm|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Murray%27s+made+mint+without+meaning+to%3B+French+war+hero+turned...-a060770475|access-date=30 April 2015|work=The Birmingham Post|date=24 August 1998}} He was accepted to study architecture at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris before the outbreak of World War II. 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.{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/manufacturing/rich-list-2015-no3---8479568 |title=Rich List 2015: No.3 - Jacques Gaston Murray & family |newspaper=The Birmingham Post|date=22 January 2015 |access-date=9 September 2016}} He received British citizenship after the war.{{cite news |last1=Zhuravlyova |first1=Sonia |title=He escaped Nazi-occupied Paris, flew for RAF - and is on the Rich List aged 100 |url=https://www.thejc.com/news/uk-news/he-escaped-nazi-occupied-paris-flew-for-raf-and-at-100-is-on-the-rich-list-1.499644 |access-date=12 May 2020 |publisher=The Jewish Chronicle |date=11 May 2020}}

His father was murdered in Auschwitz. He was awarded the Legion of Honour by the French government.{{cite web|url=http://www.birminghampost.co.uk/business/manufacturing/birmingham-post-rich-list-2014-6530700 |title=Birmingham Post Rich List 2014: No.4 - Jacques Gaston Murray and family (£850m) |newspaper=The Birmingham Post|date=23 January 2014 |access-date=9 September 2016}}

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.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/1999/jul/17/thatcher.uk1 |title=Movers and shakers among the contacts and business buddies |newspaper=The Guardian|date=17 July 1999 |access-date=9 September 2016}}

Personal life and death

His sons, Jean-Jacques Murray and Jean‑Pierre Murray are both directors of London Security, the latter being non-executive.{{cite web|url=http://www.londonsecurity.org/about_board.php |title=London Security PLC|access-date=9 September 2016}}

Murray turned 100 in February 2020,[https://www.ii.co.uk/analysis-commentary/stockwatch-keep-backing-100-year-old-chairman-ii510503 Stockwatch: Keep backing this 100-year-old chairman] and died on 6 June 2023, at the age of 103.{{cite news |last1=Susin |first1=Michael |title=Andrews Sykes, London Security Chairman Jacques-Gaston Murray Dies Aged 103 |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/andrews-sykes-london-security-chairman-jacques-gaston-murray-dies-aged-103-fab5f31d |access-date=8 June 2023 |publisher=MarketWatch |date=8 June 2023}}

Tony Murray (businessman)

Early life

Career

Personal life and death

References

Further reading