As 40,000 Berkshire Hathaway shareholders took to their feet in Omaha on Saturday in a standing ovation for Warren Buffett, Greg Abel was among those applauding the career of the world’s greatest investor.
By the time they gather for next year’s annual meeting their eyes will be fixed on Abel, Buffett’s handpicked successor at the financial powerhouse he spent six decades building.
The 62-year-old, who rose up through Berkshire’s utility business, will be scrutinised in a way Buffett has largely avoided in recent years, with investors trusting in returns that have beaten the benchmark S&P 500 by more than 5.4mn per cent over the past 60 years.