Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett
Buffett in 2015
Born
Warren Edward Buffett

(1930-08-30) August 30, 1930 (age 94)
Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.
Education
Occupations
Years active1951–present
Known forBerkshire Hathaway
Political partyDemocratic[1]
Spouses
​
​
(m. 1952; died 2004)​
Astrid Menks
​
(m. 2006)​
Children
Parents
Relatives
FamilyBuffett family
Websitewww.berkshirehathaway.com
Signature

Warren Edward Buffett (/ˈbʌfɪt/ BUF-it; born August 30, 1930)[2] is an American businessman, investor, and philanthropist who currently serves as the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. As a result of his investment success, Buffett is one of the best-known investors in the world. As of October 2024, he had a net worth of $147 billion, making him the eighth-richest person in the world.[3]

Buffett was born in Omaha, Nebraska. The son of US congressman and businessman Howard Buffett, he developed an interest in business and investing during his youth. He entered the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania in 1947 before graduating from the University of Nebraska at 19. He went on to graduate from Columbia Business School, where he molded his investment philosophy around the concept of value investing pioneered by Benjamin Graham. He attended New York Institute of Finance to focus on his economics background and soon pursued a business career.

He later began various business ventures and investment partnerships, including one with Graham. He created Buffett Partnership Ltd. in 1956 and his investment firm eventually acquired a textile manufacturing firm, Berkshire Hathaway, assuming its name to create a diversified holding company. Buffett emerged as the company's chairman and majority shareholder in 1970. In 1978, fellow investor and long-time business associate Charlie Munger joined Buffett as vice-chairman.[4][5]

Since 1970, Buffett has presided as the chairman and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway, one of America's foremost holding companies and world's leading corporate conglomerates. He has been referred to as the "Oracle" or "Sage" of Omaha by global media as a result of having accumulated a massive fortune derived from his business and investment success.[6][7] He is noted for his adherence to the principles of value investing, and his frugality despite his wealth.[8] Buffett has pledged to give away 99 percent[9] of his fortune to philanthropic causes, primarily via the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. He founded the Giving Pledge in 2010 with Bill Gates, whereby billionaires pledge to give away at least half of their fortunes.[10]

  1. ^ Stempel, Jonathan (February 24, 2020). "Warren Buffett says 'I'm a Democrat,' and would have 'no trouble' voting for Bloomberg". Reuters. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  2. ^ "Warren Buffett Biography". Biography.com (FYI/A&E Networks). Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 28, 2016.
  3. ^ "Bloomberg Billionaires Index: Warren Buffett". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg L.P. Archived from the original on March 7, 2023. Retrieved November 5, 2023.
  4. ^ "Charlie Munger". Cnn.com. June 11, 2014. Archived from the original on February 2, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  5. ^ Clifford, Catherine (February 26, 2018). "Berkshire Hathaway's Warren Buffett remembers meeting Charlie Munger". CNBC. Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved March 11, 2019.
  6. ^ Markels, Alex (July 29, 2007). "How to Make Money the Buffett Way". U.S. News & World Report. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013.
  7. ^ Sullivan, Aline (December 20, 1997). "Buffett, the Sage of Omaha, Makes Value Strategy Seem Simple: Secrets of a High Plains Investor". International Herald Tribune. Archived from the original on March 7, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2017.
  8. ^ Gogoi, Pallavi (May 8, 2007). "What Warren Buffett might buy". NBC News. Archived from the original on March 20, 2013. Retrieved May 9, 2007.
  9. ^ Buffett, Warren (June 16, 2010). "My philanthropic pledge". CNN. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference bbc was invoked but never defined (see the help page).