Murray McMillan was born in Dublin and educated at Middleton College, Cork, Ireland. He graduated from the Dublin Hotel School in 1973 and worked in Switzerland, Germany and England, before establishing his own catering and liqueur chocolate companies.

In 1984, he came to South Africa, continued his catering career at Randfontein Estates Gold Mine and at Kelvin Grove, Cape Town, then moved into the retirement village business, and later became involved in the medical aid industry.

Murray was chairman of Premier Medical Plan and a trustee of Omni Health, and developed a business platform for orthopedic surgeons. He published three non-fiction books, and won the 1995 Toastmasters Humorous Speech Competition, Gauteng.

Currently, he divides his time between his retail business and his passion; writing. He has traveled widely and has a keen interest in Africa, its people and traditions.

Murray is married with two children and lives in Sandton. In 1994, he became a South African citizen.