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]
Jacques Gaston Murray | |
|---|---|
| Born | Gaston Jacques Kalifa 8 February 1920 Paris, France |
| Died | 6 June 2023 (aged 103) |
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Title | Chairman, London Security plc Chairman, Andrew Sykes Group plc |
| Children | 2 |
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
edit
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
editIn 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
editHis 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
edit- ^ "Un Français Libre parmi 51809". francaislibres (in French). Retrieved 15 May 2015.
- ^ "New billionaire on Yorkshire Rich List | Insider Media Ltd". Insider Media. 24 April 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ "The Sunday Times Rich List 2022". The Times. Retrieved 14 June 2022.
- ^ a b c 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.
- ^ "Rich List 2015: No.3 - Jacques Gaston Murray & family". The Birmingham Post. 22 January 2015. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Birmingham Post Rich List 2014: No.4 - Jacques Gaston Murray and family (£850m)". The Birmingham Post. 23 January 2014. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ "Movers and shakers among the contacts and business buddies". The Guardian. 17 July 1999. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ "London Security PLC". Retrieved 9 September 2016.
- ^ Stockwatch: Keep backing this 100-year-old chairman
- ^ Susin, Michael (8 June 2023). "Andrews Sykes, London Security Chairman Jacques-Gaston Murray Dies Aged 103". MarketWatch. Retrieved 8 June 2023.