Overview
- Warren Buffett announced on Friday, Sept. 18, 2026, that he has stepped down as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway and will serve immediately as chairman emeritus while remaining on the board.
- Howard Buffett, a Berkshire director since 1993, was named board chairman and will be charged with guarding the company’s culture and values rather than running day‑to‑day operations.
- Greg Abel, who became CEO on Jan. 1, 2026, will run the company’s businesses and investments and received a public vote of confidence from Buffett for decisions he has already been making.
- Shares dipped modestly after the announcement and analysts flagged higher execution risk because investors are watching how Abel will deploy Berkshire’s roughly $365 billion cash hoard after recent moves including a large Alphabet investment and stepped‑up buybacks.
- The change completes a long‑planned, multi‑stage succession that shifts operational and capital‑allocation responsibility from Buffett to new leadership and leaves investors focused on Abel’s ability to preserve Berkshire’s discipline while adapting to a different market environment.