[5][6] He earned his PhD degree in economics from the University of Surrey in 1982, with a thesis titled An empirical investigation into the OPEC surplus and its disposal.[11] Other terms he coined or adopted and popularized have been the "Next Eleven" (or N-11) for Bangladesh, Egypt, Indonesia, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Turkey, and Vietnam, arguing they would be among the world's largest economies in the 21st century.[20] On 2 July 2014, he was appointed by UK Prime Minister David Cameron to head an international commission to investigate global antimicrobial resistance.[21] In 2018, Lord O'Neill published the book Superbugs: An Arms Race Against Bacteria co-written with Anthony McDonnell and Will Hall.[28] On 2 March 2010, the Red Knights, a group of wealthy Manchester United fans believed to include O'Neill, confirmed interest in a possible takeover of the club.