{
  "id": 8247997,
  "title": "Warren Buffett steps down as chair of Berkshire Hathaway after over 50 years",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/18/warren-buffett-steps-down-as-chair-of-berkshire-hathaway-after-over",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-18T12:22:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/business/2026/sep/18/warren-buffett-steps-down-berkshire-hathaway"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Warren Buffett, the 96-year-old chairman of Berkshire Hathaway, is stepping down from his role after more than half a century at the conglomerate. The billionaire investor will become chair emeritus and will assume the new position immediately, according to the company's announcement on Friday. Buffett's son, Howard, will take over as the new chairman of Berkshire Hathaway as part of a long-planned succession. Howard has been a member of the Berkshire Hathaway board since 1993.\n\nWarren Buffett will continue to serve as a director of the company. He had been serving as its chair since 1970. Greg Abel, who took over as CEO of the $1tn conglomerate at the start of the year, has become a key figure in the company's leadership. However, Buffett remains one of the most influential investors in the world.\n\nIn a letter to shareholders, Buffett expressed his gratitude for his time at Berkshire Hathaway, stating that he still considers it the best job in the world at the age of 96. He is confident in the leadership of Abel and his son, Howard, who will preserve the company's culture and values, which he considers to be more valuable than any asset on the balance sheet. \"Think of Howard as a policy the shareholders own and hope never to claim against,\" Buffett said.\n\nBuffett's wealth has been primarily built through his ownership of Berkshire Hathaway stock, which was worth over $140 billion in July 2026. He has already donated approximately $66 billion worth of stock since 2006. Throughout his tenure as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, the company has consistently outperformed the S&P 500, delivering a 19.9% compounded annual growth rate compared to the index's 10.4% gain.",
  "summary": "Buffett, 96, will become chair emeritus and remain director as his son, Howard, will step in as company’s new chair Warren Buffett is stepping down as chair of Berkshire Hathaway after serving in the role at the conglomerate for more than 50 years. The 96-year-old will become chair emeritus and will take on his new role immediately, the company said Friday. Buffett’s son, Howard, will become…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}