From August 2026 The Mary Erskine School and Stewart’s Melville College will be one co-ed school for 3–18-year-olds, called Erskine Stewart Melville.

Interview with Martin Murray OBE, Class of 1985 and Finance Director of Swire Pacific in Hong Kong

As the first boy at Stewart’s Melville to take Home Economics, Martin Murray’s journey has been anything but conventional. Now the Finance Director of Swire Pacific Ltd in Hong Kong, Martin has navigated a career filled with challenges and triumphs—from negotiating Cathay Pacific’s recapitalization during COVID to leading sustainability strategies for a multinational giant.

Awarded an OBE for his charitable work, Martin has spent 15 years transforming lives through education and sports initiatives, proving that impactful change happens “one child at a time.” His efforts with the MyName’5 Doddie Foundation have further cemented his commitment to giving back, raising over £1.5 million to fight motor neuron disease.

In this exclusive interview, Martin shares insights on leadership, the evolving role of finance, and the lessons learned from his school days that continue to shape his global perspective. Whether it’s fond memories of friendships forged at ESMS or his passion for creating opportunities for others, Martin’s story is one of resilience, creativity, and making a difference.

Date

30 Jan 2025

Category

All

School Area

All

When you were at school, did you have a clear idea of what you wanted to do when you left?

No idea.  Wasn’t clever enough to be an actuary like my father, so he suggested accounting if I liked numbers!

Did any of your teachers help to inspire your plans?

My Housemaster Graham Wilson had a big influence on me.  I remember him taking the time to come to my house in the summer of 84 to ask if I would become the Beauly House Captain, which was unexpected given I was not a 5th form prefect.   Also remember the kindness shown by Graeme Brown and Fiona Morrison in guiding me in team pursuits.

Reflecting on your school days, what skills or habits did you develop that have proven invaluable in your career?

I believe you learn as much in the playground and sports fields as you do in the classroom.   I remember being completed manipulated dishonestly at the School book sale and never wanting that feeling of humiliation ever again.  You learn a lot in the playground negotiations.

What’s the biggest challenge facing your industry in the coming years?

With our strategic focus on Greater China, the current geopolitical climate, economic slowdown in Hong Kong, and the evolution of digital and AI all present challenges as well as opportunities.

What has been your proudest achievement in your work?

Most achievements result from being part of a great team.   I am particularly proud of leading the team in the negotiation and re-capitalisation of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd with the Hong Kong Government at the start of COVID and mitigating the risk of bringing back the HK Sevens in 2022 as the first major sporting event in Hong Kong post Covid.

What do you like most about your job?

The people I work with and meet in my role.  The benefit of joining a management programme is that you grow up with your peers.   I have known most of the current executive team for almost 30 years.  Also the diverse nature of our various businesses.

Tell us about your day to day?

The Head Office role is very different from being a previous executive of an operating company.  You have much fewer day to day crisis to manage.   You are more focused on developing mid to long term strategic direction, new investment opportunities, capital allocation, people development of the various finance teams and since April this year, I lead the sustainability strategy of the Group.

What has been the most challenging part of your career so far?

Being an executive of an airline.  Always seem to be managing a crisis, from poor hedging decisions to data breach, the unrest and then COVID – never a dull moment.

Swire Pacific operates across diverse industries. How do you approach managing such a varied portfolio from a financial perspective?

The fundamentals are always the same – creating shareholder value, cash is king and ensuring an efficient and effective control environment, then focusing on the different emerging risks and mitigations as they relate to that specific industry.

What qualities do you think are essential for someone aspiring to a leadership position in finance?

Once you’ve qualified then your technical ability is a given.  Then merely boils down to hard work, applying common sense and finding something you enjoy so that you can be passionate about it.   Not to be afraid of change and take on individual accountability.

How did your early career experiences prepare you for a leadership role in a multinational company?

I have been very fortunate to work in multiple industries, different countries and cultures during both boom-and-bust times.  There is no better experience than on the job learnings, often from mistakes.

Many students may not immediately think of finance as a creative field. How does creativity play a part in your role as a finance director?

Finance has totally changed over the past decade.  AI and technology can replace all manual collation of historical data.  Wonderful opportunity for those in finance to be creative around being the key advisor around financial projections and value creation.  Matching the narrative with the numbers within an agreed risk appetite.

Looking back at your career, is there a piece of advice or feedback you received that changed your perspective or approach?

Sir Adrian Swire, the late Chairman of the Group, would always ask “are you having fun?”   The answer to that question reveals so much.  If you can find an area of work that you really enjoy, you will automatically work hard at it and be passionate on its outcomes.    Also remember that very few people have that luxury and are not driven to run a Company, but are working to support a family, fund a hobby, or through other necessities – respect your colleagues and understand their motives.

How has working in an international environment shaped your view of global business and finance?

The fundamentals are always the same, but understanding and respecting local customs and etiquette is very important.

As someone who has achieved significant success, how do you measure personal and professional success?

You don’t see many professional success comments on an epitaph.   What you do in your personal life and how your friends and family perceive you is everything.

What inspired you to get involved in charitable work in Cambodia? Was there a particular moment or experience that motivated you?

Cambodia is a nation recovering from civil war and genocide where children’s education has taken a backseat.  By working with impoverished communities, who often earn their living through scavenging, you really can see the difference you make, one child at a time.

ISF was a concept 18 years ago of taking eleven kids off the streets in Cambodia and giving them a chance of an education.    In Cambodia the State School system runs half-day education and if you can’t afford uniform etc., you are left scavenging and begging.  We run a catch-up programme and we now have two schools where we provide full day education so we can get kids off the street, get them to catch up via our schools and then feed them into the State school system.   Recreation is a big part of their education and team building so we also started a football progamme at the schools.

Can you tell us more about the specific initiatives or projects you’ve been involved with in Cambodia?

I am currently the Chairman of the charity.  It has been running for 18 years, with the initial intent to give eleven children and education.   I have been involved for about 15 years.   We now have 2 schools, with approximately 700 kids and over 4,000 participants in our football programme.  We also help the two local communities we serve.  51% of our students are female in both the education and football programmes and over 10% of the players have disabilities or affected by HIV.

What impact have you seen from the work you’ve done in Cambodia, both on the communities and on yourself personally?

After 18 years our first students are now graduating from University.  Their level of English and confidence is so inspiring.  We took on 100 new students this year, with the family earnings being less than USD75 a month.  A university graduate earns more than ten times that.   To see these kids being given a fair chance in live is so inspiring and motivating.

We now have over 700 kids going through the schools and over 4,000 on the football programme.   After 20 years the first kids are now graduating from university and being part of that journey has been amazing.

How has your time in Cambodia shaped your worldview, and how has it influenced your views on global inequality or development?

Last month we cycled from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap to fundraise.  When you travel through these poor provinces, you can’t help but notice how friendly, happy and tidy their homes are.  Little kids running around in packs unsupervised, and making your day with their smiles and waves, even the stray dogs don’t chase or bark at you!  When you have nothing and everyone is in the same boat, you can still be very content and happy.  You can see the damage caused by envy, money and greed and of course living in a financial centre like Hong Kong the inequalities as a comparison are stark.

What do you hope to achieve through your continued involvement in Cambodia? Are there any future projects or goals you’re particularly excited about?

We follow the starfish story.  An old man is walking along the beach as the sun is coming out.  A little girl is frantically throwing starfish into the sea.  “What are you doing?” says the old man.  “The sun is coming out and these starfish will die in the heat”, she replies.  The old man chuckles and says “there are thousands of them, and the sun is out, you won’t make any difference”.  She picks up a starfish and throws it into the sea.  “I made a difference to that one!”.   We follow that philosophy – making a difference one child at a time.

Tell us how you got into fundraising for ISF and My Name’5 Doddie

My main role was initially fund-raising.  We’ve had 11 dinners in HK and raised over GBP 2 – 3 million net of cost for the charity.   The job at Cathay Pacific, my role as the FD of the HK & China Rugby Union / HK Sevens and the charity was a great combination to source speakers, fly them out to HK and raise funds – as well as being able to meet my schoolboy heroes.

Doddie and Kathy Weir came out to HK in 2016 to help me with the ISF Dinner.   When he was diagnosed with MND in 2017 we decided to repay his kindness with a fundraising dinner for him in Hong Kong during the Sevens week.   This dinner has grown out of all expectations and this will be our fifth MND dinner.    It is not a typical rugby dinner.  We are all volunteers, we source our own auction prizes, pay our own tables etc to ensure every dollar donated goes to the charity.  It is so well supported by the rugby community with the idea having a rugby legend at every table being entertained by a non-rugby celebrity.  The four dinners to date have raised over GBP1.5 million net of cost.  90% of this money has gone to research proposed and vetted by the MyName’5Doddie Foundation in the UK.  The remainder is being spent on supporting the first MND registry in Hong Kong and palliative care in Hong Kong for local sufferers.  In 2023, we set up the MyName’5 Doddie Foundation in Hong Kong, with Jill Douglas, Scott Hastings and Hamish Weir being members of the board.   We have been working with the HKNMDA Association in HK and the Keswick Foundation, in raising MND awareness.   I made a pledge to Doddie that I would help find that cure.

Doddie was such a huge personality and so not only has the dinner been attending by many rugby legends, but also attracted many non-rugby legends and personal heroes such as Sir Billy Connolly, Sir Chris Hoy, Michael Vaughan, Olympians Michael Johnson, Daley Thompson, Sir Steve Redgrave and many more.

What advice would you give to current pupils when thinking about their future?

I have two children who have both just graduated, so I know the difficulties of the current job-hunting market.    Follow your passion, work hard and have fun – and if you don’t have a current passion – consider accountancy  Both my kids are!

Tell us your favourite memory of your time at school.

I was the first boy at Stewart’s Melville to do O Grade Home-economics, so first boy to be registered to the Mary Erskine School for Girls!  Hopeless at cooking, I made a little soft toy at sewing class and gave it to my Housemaster, Graham Wilson, who was expecting his first child.   35 years later, at a fundraising dinner for Doddie Weir, Graham presented me with “Ratty”, that his daughter has treasured for now 40 years.  How cool is that!

Also, it would be nice to mention the great friendships ESMS creates.  Eric Lindgren, James Penman, Jamie Lister, Kevin Smith, the late Paddy Quinan and I used to go on holiday with our respective families every 5 years as our kids grew up.   We are still all very close.  Andy King also does a great job on social media keeping the Mary Erskine and DSMC classes of 85 connected and arranges drinks twice a year.  That’s all very special.

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