Warren Buffett

Chairman of the Board Berkshire Hathaway

Last Reviewed: October 1, 2026

Executive Summary

Warren Buffett has been Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway since 1970 and ran the company as Chief Executive Officer for 56 years, until Greg Abel succeeded him on 1 January 2026. He has been a director and the controlling shareholder since 1965, and holds shares representing about 30 percent of Berkshire’s voting interest. Berkshire today is a holding company spanning insurance, energy, rail, manufacturing, services and retailing. Berkshire Hathaway ranked No. 7 on the 2026 Fortune 500.

Career Highlights

• Chairman of the Board of Berkshire Hathaway since 1970.
• Chief Executive Officer of Berkshire Hathaway from 1970 through the end of 2025.
• Berkshire director and controlling shareholder since 1965.
• Created Buffett Partnership, Ltd. in 1956.

Professional Journey

Buffett was born in Omaha. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration at the University of Nebraska and a master’s degree in economics at Columbia University in 1951. In 1956 he created Buffett Partnership, Ltd.

He became a director and controlling shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway in 1965 and its Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1970. Its subsidiaries now span insurance and reinsurance, utilities and energy, freight rail, manufacturing, services and retailing.

Greg Abel succeeded him as chief executive on 1 January 2026. Buffett remains Chairman of the Board.

Education

University of Nebraska

Bachelor’s degree, Business Administration

Columbia University

Master’s degree, Economics