Warren Buffett exits Berkshire Hathaway as his son Howard becomes chairman

Warren Buffett exits Berkshire Hathaway as his son Howard becomes chairman Warren Buffett exits Berkshire Hathaway as his son Howard becomes chairman Howard Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren Buffett, and then-U.S. Heidi Heitkamp (D-ND) attend the annual Allen & Company Sun Valley Conference, July 13, 2018 in Sun Valley, Idaho. Howard Buffett is now chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.

Warren Buffett, the investing legend that turned Berkshire Hathaway into an massive conglomerate, on Friday stepped aside as chairman after leaving as CEO at the beginning of the year. said the 96-year-old Buffett has been named chairman emeritus, effective immediately, while his son Howard will become chairman. Howard Buffett has been a Berkshire director since 1993. The elder Buffett will stay on the board.

Video 91/1 Skip Ad Continue watching after the adVisit Advertiser websiteGO TO PAGE University of Miami's President on Football, Budget, and Campus ClimateSee All Videos University of Miami's President on Football, Budget, and Campus Climate Play video: University of Miami's President on Football, Budget, and Campus Climate “Recently, I celebrated my 96th birthday with family and friends, including one of my great-grandchildren, who had just turned one. He’s moving a bit faster than I am these days,” said Buffett in a simultaneously released letter. Don’t Short Yourself offers weekly money tips to help you earn it, stack it and grow it.

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Sixty-plus years in, I still have the best job in the world.” Buffett said CEO Greg Abel has exceeded his “sky-high” expectations. His son, meanwhile, has had 33 years at the firm. Greg runs the company; Howard will guard its culture and values – both worth more than anything on our balance sheet.

Think of Howard as a policy the shareholders own and hope never to claim against,” said Buffett. Copyright ©2026 MarketWatch, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8 Steven Goldstein is based in London and responsible for MarketWatch's coverage of financial markets in Europe, with a particular focus on global macro and commodities.