• Getting to Berkshire Hathway

Warren Buffett’s journey so far …

• Born to a stockbroker father who later became a politician, Warren Edward Buffett began investing at the age of 11. By the age of 13, Buffett was delivering newspapers and also filling out his tax returns.
• He completed his Masters at Columbia University where he was taught by famous investors Ben Graham and David Dodd. Buffett was impressed with Graham’s book, The smart investor, and once said it was one of the best books ever written on investing
• In 1956, Warren Buffett founded Buffett Partnership Limited (BPL) which eventually took control of Berkshire Hathaway, a northern textile manufacturer, in 1965.
• Famously referred to as the Oracle of Omaha, Buffett chose companies that were undervalued but had strong fundamentals and the potential to generate long-term profits. Currently, Berkshire Hathaway has investments in some large US companies like Apple, American Express, Bank of America and The Coca-Cola Company.
• Based in Omaha, Nebraska, Berkshire Hathway has grown into a conglomerate of over sixty companies comprised of brands like Duracell and GEICO Insurance under the leadership of Buffett
• Over a career spanning more than six decades, Buffett remains arguably one of the greatest investors of all time and is known for his annual letter to shareholders. The content of the letter is closely followed by investors, economists and stock analysts
• Buffett made a big decision in 2006 when he decided to donate 99% of his earnings to charity, the largest in US history. He decided to give 85% to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, and in 2019 he donated $ 3.6 billion to it. To date, Buffett has donated over $ 38 billion to charity

Before you leave …

• Every year, Warren Buffett hosts a luncheon which is auctioned off on eBay. The highest bidder can have lunch with him and is also allowed to bring up to seven friends. Proceeds are donated to Glide, a San Francisco charity that cares for the homeless and drug addicts
• He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2011 by then-US President Barack Obama.
• In 2010, Warren Buffett partnered with Bill Gates to launch the Giving Pledge campaign, urging the world’s richest people to commit half of their wealth to philanthropy or charity.
• Harvard Business School rejected Buffett on his application for admission