This is the sixth in our series of Hall of Fame Q&As leading up the induction ceremony, just three weeks away! There's still time to register for Homecoming and the Hall of Fame Induction on October 11, 2025. Registration is now open!
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NAME: Ian Murray, Class of 1989
SPORT: Tennis
CURRENT JOB: Chairman, 365 Finance Limited and AEROTEL
Ian Murray is a distinguished business leader and advocate for social progress, with a career that spans finance, telecommunications, and international sports representation. A 1989 graduate of Brandeis University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, Ian brings over three decades of experience and insight to his work. At 58 years old, Ian currently serves as Chairman of 365 Finance and Chairman of AEROTEL (an Aeronautical telecommunications company) where he provides strategic leadership and vision to drive growth and innovation. His professional journey reflects a deep commitment to fostering economic independence and expanding access to opportunity.
Beyond the boardroom, Ian is a two-time tennis All-American, a Jamaican tennis representative, a testament to his dedication, discipline, and international engagement. Ian entered politics in the late 1990s and served two terms in the Senate of Jamaica. He is also a father of three, and his life is guided by a strong sense of purpose rooted in social justice and the belief that business should be a force for good.
Q: What attracted you to Brandeis in the first place?
I first learnt about Brandeis in my senior year of high school. I was in Grenada to play tennis for Jamaica and met members of the Grenadian government and learnt about the recent overthrow of their government by a man named Bernard Coard, who was an interesting man, a revolutionary at heart who had briefly served as their prime minister. I learned after that Bernard Coard was a Brandeis Alum. Back in Jamaica, having won the Caribbean Brandon trophy - a first for Jamaica - I continued my university enquiries by reaching out to family friends, Melanie Henriques and Joseph Matalon, a sucessful business man, both of whom attended Brandeis. Melanie was more in my age group and encouraged me to apply. Ultimately, though, the appeal of a university situated on an intimate campus located just outside of Boston, a university that could produce a first-rate businessman in Joe Matalon and a committed revolutionary in Bernard Coard, definitely deserved an application.
Q: Do you have any advice for current or future Brandeis Student-Athletes?
Despite the workload, despite the challenges, you can be a good student and a good athlete, good teammate, and a student who participates actively in campus life. It's all possible.
Q: Do you keep in touch with any of your former Brandeis teammates? How?
Absolutely! I get a chance every now and again when I travel to see my teammates but mostly through social media.
Q: Describe your overall experience as a student-athlete. What does it mean to you now/what did it mean to you while you were an undergraduate?
It meant a lot. When I got to Brandeis, I didn't know what to expect, I thought that my tennis résumé was known to both Coach and Athletic Director and all the people that needed to know. However, the second or third day, I walked down to the tennis courts as I was acclimatizing to the campus, and I realized that there were tennis trials, and I thought to myself, "Oh, let me go back and get my rackets and come because surely somebody here is gonna recognize who I am, recognize my name." I got my tennis rackets, I came, and I stood there, and I saw Coach Foley for the first time. "Are you here to try out?" he asked. I said "Yes, I am!" I don't remember which court I went on, but what I do know is that by the end of the day, I ended up playing this guy called Noel Occomy. Even though it was just warm-ups, we played a hell of a match, which he won. At which point, on my way back to the dorm, I thought "Oh, wow! Well I tried out. Maybe I'll come back tomorrow and try again." Not realizing that Noel was the number one recruit for that year. So having made the team, I was very appreciative. I enjoyed the support and the athletic fraternity. I learned to play baseball, went to my first football game (Go Pats!) So overall it started out very humbling, but it was wonderful in the end. At graduation, I received a plaque, which I have in my office to this day. It reads "Your athletic achievements have brought great honor to your university, your family and yourself. We wish you good fortune." It still means a lot to me even to this day.
Q: Looking back on your career at Brandeis, do you have any one or two moments that you look back on and cherish?
There are so many moments, and over time, memories fade, but the moment that stood out for me was the UAA tournament at Emory. I think I played my very best tennis during that tournament and if I remember correctly I played a three-set match that I won against a really good player and a hostile crowd. It helped seal the deal and book our tickets to the NCAA tournament. All I had were my teammates during that final match, and I promise you, they were louder than the home crowd..Their encouragement pulled me through.
Q: What personal or professional accomplishments are you most proud of since you graduated?
Professionally, I am most proud of the companies I have started and to see them grow. I started small, especially given some early setbacks, but I am happy to say I have three active and profitable companies, employing over 100 people, providing good jobs.
On the personal side, my 3 amazing children. Zachary (25), Zara (17), and Sienna (15) who continue to grow and learn and who are good and decent people. I could not be prouder of them. I'm convinced that they're going to change the world.
Q: What did it mean to you to be a person of color and/or an international student at Brandeis in the late 1980s?
As a person of color, I have to say I was certainly aware of it. I was aware that I was different, but I was never made to feel less than. Our coaches and teammates loved that I came from Jamaica. I introduced them to Bob Marley and Jerk Chicken; they introduced me to meshi and kibbeh. I celebrated my color and my culture fulsomely at Brandeis. For the difficult situations that I encountered, in Jamaica we have a saying 'no problem, man.' I used that a few times over my university years. A saying that kinda means everything is gonna be alright. And it was.
Q: How did you get into politics in Jamaica? How did Brandeis prepare you for that experience?
I come from a political family. My father was a member of Parliament when I was a younger man, and he was very active in politics. Our dining table was always filled with political memorabilia, and people were always coming in and out all of our house, especially during campaign time. Over my years at Brandeis, I certainly had many political and social discussions. I was certainly politically aware, but I had no intention of going into politics. When I graduated from Brandeis, my student loans converted at an exchange rate of 5:1. Two months after graduating, I got a job with a small merchant bank. Two months later, the Jamaican government took the decision to liberalize the Jamaican dollar, and the exchange rate went up to 25 to 1. What had been a three- or four-year payback was now looking like 10 to 12, and I remember thinking, "This is madness. I'm gonna have to get into politics."
