Jim O’Neill

The high-profile British economist Jim O’Neill, Lord O’Neill of Gatley coined the acronym BRIC in 2001 as part of his global economics research at the American investment bank Goldman Sachs. This now universally recognised term represents four nations, Brazil, Russia, India and China, that are rapidly developing and represent a shift in the economic power away from the developed G7 economies. O’Neill later went on to become the chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management in 2010 until 2013, during which time he was featured as part of Bloomberg Markets ‘50 Most Influential’ in 2011 for his extensive and innovative contributions to the finance sector.

Following his retirement, O’Neill went on to be appointed Commercial Secretary to the Treasury in 2015 as part of the Second Cameron Ministry. In this crucial position, he was at the forefront of the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ proposal in a bid to boost the economic growth in North of England. A frequent contributor to an array of national and international publications including The Guardian and Project Syndicate, O’Neill continues to research and commentate on many global economic issues.

Currently an Honorary Professor of Economics at the University of Manchester, O’Neill is also a member of the International Advisory Board of the Centre for Rising Powers at the University of Cambridge, the QFINANCE Strategic Advisory Board and board of Bruegel. In 2018, his ongoing position as a leading expert in economics was further cemented with his book ‘Superbugs: An Arms Race Against Bacteria’, co-written alongside Anthony McDonnell and Will Hall.