Really good piece, Kevin. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. The CEO's of the subs seem to have this tremendous affinity toward Warren and don't want to let him down. Will they feel same toward Greg? Who knows. Will it be business as usual when Warren passes on? Probably initially but over time? Stay tuned.
Excellent point about the very strong relationships between Warren Buffett and his managers. I'm hopeful that Abel can inspire similar loyalty and trust, but we'll have to wait and see on that.
Lovely piece! Having met Greg at the shareholder meeting last year, he definitely reminds me of Tim Cook. I have a lot of trust in him and his skin in the game.
Thanks! That's so cool that you got to meet Greg Abel at the meeting last year. (I'm jealous!) Everything that I've seen from him has been so impressive.
Nice article. I share the optimism overall, but much will depend on the level of shareholder support when the first inevitable rough patch hits Abel. Institutions with an “ESG” focus could ruin the culture quickly if allowed to. I hope the Class A shares remain in the hands of people who buy into the vision. Otherwise, Berkshire will slide to mediocrity over a long enough period of time. But not anytime soon. I’m more worried about 2050 than 2030.
Regarding Tim Cook, it’s probably not possible due to Berkshire’s ownership of Apple, but Cook would be a terrific addition to Berkshire’s board. No one knows succession issues better than Cook.
Thanks! I totally agree on being more worried about 2050 than 2030. I feel pretty confident that the first generation of post-Buffett leaders and managers will keep Berkshire's culture as intact as possible. After that, though...
Cook would be an amazing addition to the board. I don't know all the ins and outs about who can or cannot join a particular board, but he would be an ideal candidate.
great take, cheers!
Really good piece, Kevin. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out. The CEO's of the subs seem to have this tremendous affinity toward Warren and don't want to let him down. Will they feel same toward Greg? Who knows. Will it be business as usual when Warren passes on? Probably initially but over time? Stay tuned.
Excellent point about the very strong relationships between Warren Buffett and his managers. I'm hopeful that Abel can inspire similar loyalty and trust, but we'll have to wait and see on that.
Lovely piece! Having met Greg at the shareholder meeting last year, he definitely reminds me of Tim Cook. I have a lot of trust in him and his skin in the game.
Thanks! That's so cool that you got to meet Greg Abel at the meeting last year. (I'm jealous!) Everything that I've seen from him has been so impressive.
Nice article. I share the optimism overall, but much will depend on the level of shareholder support when the first inevitable rough patch hits Abel. Institutions with an “ESG” focus could ruin the culture quickly if allowed to. I hope the Class A shares remain in the hands of people who buy into the vision. Otherwise, Berkshire will slide to mediocrity over a long enough period of time. But not anytime soon. I’m more worried about 2050 than 2030.
Regarding Tim Cook, it’s probably not possible due to Berkshire’s ownership of Apple, but Cook would be a terrific addition to Berkshire’s board. No one knows succession issues better than Cook.
Thanks! I totally agree on being more worried about 2050 than 2030. I feel pretty confident that the first generation of post-Buffett leaders and managers will keep Berkshire's culture as intact as possible. After that, though...
Cook would be an amazing addition to the board. I don't know all the ins and outs about who can or cannot join a particular board, but he would be an ideal candidate.
Great insights. Thanks!