BRICS is the snappy acronym for the geopolitical pact that unites Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. The term was coined in 2001 by Goldman Sachs economist Jim O’Neill, who, at a time when South Africa wasn’t yet in the group, said the first four nations would by 2050 dominate the global economy. Today, the five states account for 42 percent of the world’s population.
So it’s little wonder that in the first decade of this century, business aircraft sales executives were salivating over the prospect of penetrating these exciting new markets. Trade shows like ABACE in China, LABACE in Brazil, and JetExpo in Russia were hot-ticket events. Today, I blush when I recall that I was one of many breathlessly excited cheerleaders for the impact the BRIC block (as it then was) could have on the industry.
Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.
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