Alan Murray
About Alan Murray
Alan Murray, age 72, has served as an independent non-employee director of Ferguson Enterprises Inc. since January 2013. He is a qualified chartered management accountant and is designated an Audit Committee Financial Expert; he currently chairs the Nominations & Governance Committee and serves on the Audit Committee. He previously served as Senior Independent Director (Oct 2013–Aug 2022) and as Employee Engagement Director (Mar 2019–Dec 2023) .
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hanson PLC | Group Chief Executive | 2002–2007 | Led a British building materials company; previously Finance Director and CEO of Hanson Building Materials America (1998–2002), indicating deep sector leadership and financial reporting expertise . |
| Hanson Building Materials America | Chief Executive | 1998–2002 | Executive leadership in North American building materials; finance background supports audit oversight . |
| Hanson Pension Trustees Limited | Trustee, Hanson No 2 Pension Scheme | 2003–2025 | Long-term fiduciary stewardship role . |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| O-I Glass, Inc. | Director (former) | 2015–2025 | Former public company board experience; none currently . |
| HeidelbergCement AG | Director (former) | 2010–2017 | Global industrial board exposure . |
| International Power plc | Director (former) | 2007–2011 | Energy sector board experience . |
| Hanson PLC | Director/Executive | 2002–2007 | Combined executive and board role . |
| Current other public boards | — | — | None . |
Board Governance
- Committee assignments: Chair, Nominations & Governance Committee; Member, Audit Committee; all committees are fully independent .
- Audit Committee Financial Expert: Murray is designated and participates in oversight of financial reporting, internal controls, auditor independence, and related party approvals; Audit Committee recommended inclusion of audited financials in FY2025 10-K .
- Independence: Board determined all non-employee directors, including Murray, meet NYSE/SEC independence standards; independence assessed with consideration of ordinary-course transactions and no material relationships requiring Item 404 disclosure for Murray .
- Attendance and engagement: Board met 8 times in FY2025; Audit 6, Compensation 7, Nominations & Governance 5; each incumbent director attended at least 75% of Board/committee meetings; independent directors meet in executive session regularly .
- Board quality signals: Prohibition on hedging/pledging of Company shares; stock ownership guidelines for directors; annual evaluations; independent Chair selected by independent directors .
Committee Memberships (FY2025 context)
| Committee | Role | Members | FY2025 Meetings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nominations & Governance | Chair | Alan Murray (Chair); Rekha Agrawal; Geoff Drabble; Brian May; James S. Metcalf | 5 |
| Audit | Member; Audit Committee Financial Expert | Suzanne Wood (Chair); Cathy Halligan; Brian May; Alan Murray | 6 |
Fixed Compensation
| Component (FY2025) | Amount ($) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Base Fee (annualized program) | 130,000 | Increased from $120,000 to align U.S. levels . |
| Committee Chair Fee (Nom & Gov) | 28,500 | Chair fee—aligned with Audit/Comp chair fees . |
| Total Cash Earned (actual) | 155,167 | Reported FY2025 fees earned by Alan Murray . |
- Program governance: Director fees set by Board on recommendation of Compensation Committee, with Meridian Compensation Partners as independent consultant; no meeting fees; travel/tax allowances discontinued effective Dec 2024 (U.K. directors had transition tax prep allowance) .
- No severance/benefits: Non-employee directors receive no severance, do not participate in short-term incentives, and only receive expense reimbursement .
Performance Compensation
| Equity Award | Grant Date | Grant Value ($) | Instruments | Vesting | Units Outstanding (as of July 31, 2025) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual RSU | Dec 11, 2024 | 179,930 (program value $180,000) | RSUs under 2023 Omnibus Plan | Time-based; vest at next annual meeting; accrues dividend equivalents (vest same as units) | 923 RSUs for Murray |
- Performance metrics: None disclosed for director RSUs; awards are time-vested to align director interests without performance conditions .
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Area | Detail |
|---|---|
| Current public boards | None . |
| Former public boards | O-I Glass (2015–2025); HeidelbergCement (2010–2017); International Power (2007–2011); Hanson PLC (2002–2007) . |
| Interlocks/transactions | Related party transactions disclosed for other directors/entities; none disclosed involving Alan Murray . |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Chartered management accountant; extensive CEO experience in building materials; financial reporting expertise; designated Audit Committee Financial Expert .
- Deep knowledge of Ferguson and industry; global business board experience and executive leadership credentials .
Equity Ownership
| Holder | Beneficial Shares | % Outstanding | RSUs Counted in Beneficial Ownership (vesting within 60 days of Oct 8, 2025) | RSUs Outstanding (as of Jul 31, 2025) | Pledging/Hedging | Ownership Guidelines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Murray | 4,515 | <1% | 938 | 923 | Prohibited by Company policy | 4x base fee; compliance required within 5 years from Aug 1, 2024 or appointment; all current NEDs met/are on track . |
Shareholder Voting Signal (2024 Annual Meeting)
| Proposal 1: Election of Directors | Votes For | % For | Votes Against | % Against | Abstentions | Broker Non-Votes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alan Murray | 161,107,083 | 95.49% | 7,611,461 | 4.51% | 812,604 | 6,220,312 |
- Context: Murray’s “against” vote percentage (4.51%) was higher than many peers, which may reflect investor scrutiny on tenure, committee leadership, or perceived independence; still a strong majority support .
Governance Assessment
- Board effectiveness: Murray’s dual role as Nom & Gov Chair and Audit member (with Financial Expert designation) strengthens oversight of refreshment, skills matrix, independence reviews, related-party policies, and financial controls .
- Independence and conflicts: Board confirmed independence; no Item 404 related party transactions disclosed involving Murray; related party reviews conducted under formal policy via Audit Committee .
- Alignment: Cash/equity mix shows meaningful equity alignment (FY2025 cash $155,167 vs. stock $179,930) and strict ownership/anti-hedging policies; RSUs are time-based to align with shareholder interests .
- Engagement: Minimum attendance threshold met; regular executive sessions; active committee work with 5 Nom & Gov and 6 Audit meetings in FY2025 .
- RED FLAGS: Elevated “against” vote vs. peers (4.51% against) warrants monitoring of shareholder feedback; no pledging/hedging and no related-party transactions mitigate risk .
Overall, Murray brings seasoned CEO/CFO-caliber financial and industry expertise to Ferguson’s board with strong governance credentials and equity alignment; monitor future proxy feedback given relatively higher opposition in 2024 and ensure continued refreshment and independence rigor in committees .