Jim is the former chairman of Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM). As chairman, he was involved in helping guide all aspects of GSAM’s business around the world. Prior to assuming this role in September 2010, Jim was head of Global Economics, Commodities and Strategy Research. He serves on the European Management Committee. Jim joined Goldman Sachs in 1995 as a partner, co-head of Global Economics Research and chief currency economist.

 

Prior to joining the firm, Jim was head of research, globally, for Swiss Bank Corporation (SBC) from 1991 to 1995. He joined SBC in 1988. Prior to that, he was with Bank of America and International Treasury Management, a division of Marine Midland Bank.

 

Jim is the creator of the acronym BRICs. Together with his colleagues, he has published much research about BRICs, which has become synonymous with the emergence of Brazil, Russia, India and China as the growth opportunities of the future.

 

Jim is a member of the board of the Itinera Institute, and has been on the board of Bruegel since its creation. He is a member of the UK-India Round Table and the UKIBC. Jim is chairman and one of the founding trustees of the London-based charity SHINE. He is also chairman of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership Advisory Board. Jim serves on the board of Teach for All and a number of other charities specializing in education.
Jim previously served as a non-executive director of Manchester United before it returned to private ownership in 2005.
Jim earned a degree in economics from Sheffield University in 1978 and a PhD from the University of Surrey in 1982. He received an honorary doctorate from the Institute of Education, University of London, in 2009 for his educational philanthropy.