Warren Buffett

Warren Buffett, in full Warren Edward Buffett, (born August 30, 1930, Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.), American businessman and philanthropist, widely considered the most successful investor of the 20th century, having defied prevailing investment trends to amass a personal fortune estimated at more than $80 billion.

Buffett was the second of three children and the only son of Leila and Howard Buffett. His father was a stockbroker and later became a member of Congress. Buffett displayed an interest in investing at an early age, and he began to buy stocks while still in high school. After graduating in 1947, he enrolled at the University of Nebraska, where he studied business. He later transferred to the University of Pennsylvania, where he earned a degree in economics in 1950. He then briefly attended graduate school at the University of Nebraska but left to work for his father’s brokerage firm in Omaha.

In 1956 Buffett began investing in a textile manufacturing firm called Berkshire Hathaway, which he later transformed into a holding company for a wide range of businesses. Through Berkshire Hathaway, Buffett acquired a number of companies, including Geico, a major auto insurer; See’s Candies, a West Coast confectioner; and Fruit of the Loom, a manufacturer of underwear and other apparel.

Buffett became known for his long-term investment strategy, which focused on buying undervalued companies and holding them for years or even decades. He also avoided the market speculation and high-risk investments that were popular in the 1980s and 1990s. Buffett’s approach proved successful, and he became one of the world’s richest people. In addition to his work as an investor, Buffett was also known for his philanthropy, and he pledged to donate the vast majority of his wealth to charity.