Warren Buffett's close confidant, Charlie Munger, has passed away. Investors are now curious about who will succeed him at Berkshire Hathaway. As early as 2021, Buffett disclosed in an interview with CNBC that Greg Abel was his chosen successor at Berkshire Hathaway.
Greg Abel, aged 61 and highly endorsed by Buffett and Munger, currently serves as the Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Energy. As early as 2021, Buffett revealed in a CNBC interview that Abel was his chosen successor, highlighting his increasing prominence.
In 2021, Buffett told CNBC that Abel was his heir apparent.
"The directors are in agreement that if something were to happen to me tonight, it would be Greg who'd take over tomorrow morning,"
More about Greg Abel
Gregory Edward Abel was born on June 1, 1962, in Edmonton, Alberta. He earned a bachelor's degree in accounting from the University of Alberta in 1984. In 2013, Abel spoke to his alma mater's alumni magazine about his passion for accounting.
The Opportunity
In 1999, Abel joined MidAmerican Energy as a CPA. Berkshire Hathaway acquired MidAmerican Energy in the same year, bringing Abel into Buffett's view.
Currently, Abel serves as the Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, having gained a director's seat on the board in 2018. He was also appointed as Vice Chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, overseeing non-insurance operations.
Evolved version of Buffett
Abel received high praise within the company. Munger mentioned at this year's Berkshire Hathaway annual meeting,
"Greg is just sensational at being a business leader, both as a thinker and as a doer."
"He's also just a tremendous learning machine — you can argue that he's just as good as Warren at learning all kinds of things."
Although Buffett and Munger have long held a sceptical stance towards cryptocurrencies, it is worth noting that Abel may hold a 'different' perspective, and it's possible he will comment on cryptocurrencies in the future.