NEED TO KNOW
- Warren Buffett marked his final day as chief executive officer at Berkshire Hathaway on Dec. 31
- The 95-year-old philanthropist announced his decision to step down from his role as CEO earlier this year
- Greg Abel will now take over Buffett’s role at the company, while Buffett will remain as chairman
It’s Warren Buffett final day as chief executive officer at Berkshire Hathaway.
Buffett, 95, spent decades as CEO of the multinational conglomerate holding company before his final day on the job on Wednesday, Dec. 31, according to NBC News.
In May 2025, seven months before stepping down as CEO, Buffett told The Wall Street Journal that he still planned to visit the office following his change in role.
“I’m not going to sit at home and watch soap operas,” the billionaire explained. “My interests are still the same.”
In a goodbye letter published last month, Buffet, known as the “Oracle of Omaha,” called Berkshire’s individual shareholders “a very special group who are unusually generous in sharing their gains with others less fortunate.”
Buffett also offered “a few business and personal observations” in his letter, including a reminder that “the cleaning lady is as much a human being as the Chairman.”
“Greatness does not come about through accumulating great amounts of money, great amounts of publicity or great power in government,” Buffett wrote. “When you help someone in any of thousands of ways, you help the world.”
He continued, “Kindness is costless but also priceless. Whether you are religious or not, it’s hard to beat The Golden Rule as a guide to behavior.”
Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty
Buffett began investing in 1942 when he was 11 years old, purchasing $114.75 worth of stock in natural gas company Cities Service with money he began saving when he was 6, according to NBC News.
He has been utilizing Berkshire Hathaway as his primary means of investment since 1964 — and became the CEO in 1970.
Now, Buffett is the 10th richest person in the world with a current estimated net worth of $150 billion, according to Bloomberg.
Greg Abel, 63, will now take over Buffett’s role at the company, while Buffett will remain on as chairman, according to NBC News.
Buffett announced Abel as his eventual successor in May 2021, per CNBC.
Speaking of his successor in his Nov. 10 letter, Buffett said, “Greg Abel will become the boss at yearend. He is a great manager, a tireless worker and an honest communicator. Wish him an extended tenure.”
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Buffett went on to offer some valuable advice after noting he felt better about the second half of his life compared to the first.
“Don’t beat yourself up over past mistakes – learn at least a little from them and move on,” Buffett wrote. “It is never too late to improve. Get the right heroes and copy them. You can start with Tom Murphy; he was the best.”
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