FILE PHOTO: Howard Buffett, Warren Buffett’s eldest son, is set to become chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, succeeding his father, who will become chairman emeritus.
| Photo Credit:
Hannah McKay
Berkshire Hathaway said
Howard Buffett would become the chairman of the $1.1 trillion
conglomerate, succeeding legendary investor Warren Buffett, who
would become chairman emeritus.
The move completes one of the biggest and most closely
watched transitions in corporate America, nine months after the
Oracle of Omaha handed the CEO reins to longtime lieutenant
Greg Abel.
Here are some key facts about Howard Buffett:
WARREN BUFFETT’S OLDEST SON
Warren, 96, has three children: Susie, Howard and Peter.
Howard, 71, is the second-born and the eldest of his two sons.
LONG-TIME BERKSHIRE DIRECTOR
Known as Howie, he has been a Berkshire director for 33
years, a longer apprenticeship than what Warren served before
taking the reins.
LONG-STANDING SUCCESSOR
Howard’s appointment as the non-executive chairman of
Berkshire is part of the conglomerate’s long-standing succession
plan.
In 2011, Warren told CBS News that he would like Howard to
succeed him.
PRESERVING BERKSHIRE’S CULTURE
In his new role, Howard’s responsibility would be to
preserve Berkshire’s culture. He would not have a management
role as chairman.
Howard had his own definition of Berkshire’s culture.
“It’s not rocket science,” he had told the Wall Street
Journal in January 2025. “The culture is to keep things simple,
to do what you need to do but don’t do a lot of things you don’t
need to do, treat people fairly, respect your managers, respect
your shareholders. Tell them the bad news upfront, be honest.”
DONNED MULTIPLE HATS
Over the course of his life, Howard has been a farmer,
photographer, conservationist and businessman.
He has previously served on the Douglas County Board of
Commissioners in Nebraska, two Office of the United States Trade
Representative committees, and non-profit organization
Commission on Presidential Debates.
He also worked in law enforcement for about a decade,
including as sheriff of Macon County, Illinois.
Howard has authored more than a dozen books on conservation,
wildlife and the human condition, including two New York Times
bestsellers. He was also the executive producer of award-winning
documentary films.
MEMBER OF SEVERAL CORPORATE BOARDS
Howard has served as director of several corporate boards,
including Agro Tech, Archer-Daniels Midland, Conagra Foods, the
Coca-Cola Company, Coca Cola Enterprises, FirsTier Financial,
and Lindsay Corporation.
ADDRESSING GLOBAL HUNGER
Howard leads the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, a private
charitable foundation that works to address global hunger,
combat human trafficking and mitigate conflicts.
Established in 1999, the foundation has been funded by
donations from Warren Buffett and has devoted resources in
recent years to Ukraine during its war with Russia.
AROUND THE WORLD
Howard has traveled to more than 150 countries around the
world, in part due to his charitable work.
MULTIPLE HONORS
Howard has been honored by several governments, including
Colombia, El Salvador, Mexico, Rwanda and Ukraine for his
charitable work.
He has also been recognized for his contributions in
agriculture, conservation, journalism, philanthropy and law
enforcement.
Published on September 18, 2026
