Career Timeline of Warren Buffett: Major Achievements and Milestones

How Warren Buffett built a successful career. Explore key moments that defined the journey.

Warren Buffett is a highly successful American investor and philanthropist. He is the Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, a conglomerate holding company. His exceptional investment acumen has made him one of the most renowned investors globally. As of May 2025, Buffett's estimated net worth is approximately $160.2 billion, ranking him among the wealthiest individuals in the world. He is widely respected for his value investing philosophy and long-term investment strategies.

Sections (7)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Success & Recognition Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals Legacy & Impact

1945: Purchase of Pinball Machines

In 1945, Warren Buffett and a friend spent $25 to purchase a used pinball machine, which they placed in the local barber shop.

1951: Worked at Buffett-Falk & Co.

From 1951, Warren Buffett worked at his father's firm, Buffett-Falk & Co., as an investment salesman.

1951: First purchase of GEICO stock

In 1951, Warren Buffett met Lorimer Davidson, GEICO's vice president, and made his first purchase of GEICO stock.

1954: Securities Analyst at Graham-Newman Corp.

From 1954, Warren Buffett worked at Graham-Newman Corp. as a securities analyst.

1954: Job at Benjamin Graham's Partnership

In 1954, Warren Buffett accepted a job at Benjamin Graham's partnership with a starting salary of $12,000 a year.

1956: General Partner in Investment Partnerships

From 1956, Warren Buffett worked at several investment partnerships as the general partner.

1956: Retirement of Benjamin Graham

In 1956, Benjamin Graham retired and closed his partnership, leading Warren Buffett to return to Omaha and start a series of investment partnerships.

1956: Created Buffett Partnership Ltd.

In 1956, Warren Buffett created Buffett Partnership Ltd.

1957: Operation of Three Investment Partnerships

In 1957, Warren Buffett operated three investment partnerships.

1958: Sanborn stock sold at $45

In 1958, Sanborn stock sold for only $45 per share, while the company's investment portfolio was worth $65 per share.

1959: Introduction to Charlie Munger

In 1959, Warren Buffett was introduced to Charlie Munger during a business luncheon at The Omaha Club.

1961: Investment in Sanborn Map Company

In 1961, Warren Buffett revealed that 35% of the partnership's assets were invested in the Sanborn Map Company.

1962: Buffett Becomes a Millionaire

In 1962, Warren Buffett became a millionaire with the success of his partnerships.

1965: Aggressive Purchase of Berkshire Hathaway Shares

In 1965, Warren Buffett's partnerships began purchasing Berkshire Hathaway shares aggressively, paying $14.86 per share.

1966: Partnership Closed to New Money

In 1966, Warren Buffett closed the partnership to new money.

1967: First and Only Dividend of Berkshire Hathaway

In 1967, Berkshire Hathaway paid out its first and only dividend of 10 cents.

1969: End of the investment partnerships

In 1969, Warren Buffet ceased his work as the general partner for several investment partnerships

1969: Liquidation of Partnership

In 1969, Warren Buffett liquidated the partnership and transferred their assets to his partners, including shares of Berkshire Hathaway.

1970: Chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

From 1970, Warren Buffett became chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc.

1970: Chairman and Majority Shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway

In 1970, Warren Buffett emerged as the chairman and majority shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway.

1970: Buffett presides as chairman of Berkshire Hathaway

Since 1970, Warren Buffett has presided as the chairman and largest shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway.

1973: Acquisition of Washington Post Company Stock

In 1973, Berkshire Hathaway began to acquire stock in the Washington Post Company.

1974: SEC Investigation into Wesco Financial Acquisition

In 1974, the SEC opened a formal investigation into Warren Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway's acquisition of Wesco Financial, due to possible conflict of interest.

1977: Purchase of Buffalo Evening News

In 1977, Berkshire Hathaway indirectly purchased the Buffalo Evening News for $32.5 million.

1977: Statement about Stocks, Gold, Farmland, and Inflation

In 1977, Warren Buffett made a statement about stocks, gold, farmland and inflation.

1978: Charlie Munger Joins Berkshire Hathaway

In 1978, Charlie Munger joined Warren Buffett as vice-chairman of Berkshire Hathaway.

1979: Acquisition of ABC Stock

In 1979, Berkshire Hathaway began to acquire stock in ABC.

1982: Buffalo Courier-Express Folds

In 1982, the Buffalo Courier-Express folded after antitrust charges started.

March 18, 1985: Capital Cities Purchase of ABC

On March 18, 1985, Capital Cities announced a $3.5 billion purchase of ABC, with Warren Buffett helping to finance the deal.

1985: Sale of Berkshire Hathaway's Last Mill

In 1985, the last of the mills that had been the core business of Berkshire Hathaway was sold.

1987: Quote during RJR Nabisco Takeover Fight

During the RJR Nabisco, Inc., hostile takeover fight in 1987, Warren Buffett was quoted as telling John Gutfreund.

1987: Purchase of Stake in Salomon Inc.

In 1987, Berkshire Hathaway purchased a 12% stake in Salomon Inc., making it the largest shareholder and Warren Buffett a director.

1988: Purchase of Coca-Cola Company Stock

In 1988, Warren Buffett began buying The Coca-Cola Company stock, eventually purchasing up to 7% of the company for $1.02 billion.

1989: Purchase of Private Jet

In 1989, Warren Buffett spent nearly $6.7 million of Berkshire's funds on a private jet, which he named "The Indefensible", later renamed "The Indispensable".

1990: Scandal involving John Gutfreund

In 1990, a scandal involving John Gutfreund (former CEO of Salomon Brothers) surfaced.

August 1991: Gutfreund Left Salomon Brothers

In August 1991, John Gutfreund left Salomon Brothers and Warren Buffett became chairman until the crisis passed.

1994: Statement on Investments in Tobacco

Speaking at Berkshire Hathaway Inc.'s 1994 annual meeting, Warren Buffett discussed investments in tobacco.

1998: Coca-Cola Company stock peak

In 1998, The Coca-Cola Company stock peaked at $86. Keeping Berkshire's major holdings, including The Coca-Cola Company, raised questions for Buffett.

1998: Acquisition of General Re

In 1998, Warren Buffett acquired General Re (Gen Re) as a subsidiary, a deal that presented difficulties.

1998: Critique of Gold as an Investment

In a 1998 address at Harvard, Warren Buffett voiced his criticism of gold as an investment, primarily due to its non-productive nature.

November 1999: Warning of unrealistic expectations

In his November 1999 Fortune article, Warren Buffett warned of investors' unrealistic expectations.

1999: Sale of Private Jet

Prior to mid-1999, Warren Buffett sold the private jet "The Indefensible", and has since usually flown with Berkshire's flight services businesses.

2000: Comparison to the Olympics

In 2000, Warren Buffett compared the inheritance tax to the Olympics.

2001: Warren Buffett Owned Lincoln Town Car

In 2001, Warren Buffett owned a Lincoln Town Car that was auctioned off on eBay in 2006 to raise money for Girls, Inc.

2002: Involvement with Maurice R. Greenberg at AIG

In 2002, General Re provided reinsurance after Warren Buffett became involved with Maurice R. Greenberg at AIG.

2002: Adviser to Nuclear Threat Initiative

In 2002, Warren Buffett began serving as an adviser to the Nuclear Threat Initiative in Washington, where he also pledged $50 million.

2002: Entry into currency contracts

In 2002, Warren Buffett entered into $11 billion worth of forward contracts to deliver U.S. dollars against other currencies.

2002: Entry into Foreign Currency Market

In 2002, Warren Buffett entered the foreign currency market for the first time, prompted by the trade deficit.

2004: Lambasting a Bill on Stock Option Expensing

At the 2004 annual meeting, Warren Buffett criticized a bill before the United States Congress regarding stock option expensing, comparing it to changing the value of Pi by legislative decree.

2004: Wife's Estate to Buffett Foundation

In 2004, the bulk of Warren Buffett's wife's estate, valued at $2.6 billion, went to his Buffett Foundation upon her death.

2004: Difficulty knowing when to sell

In the company's 2004 annual report, Warren Buffett discussed the difficulties of knowing when to sell.

March 15, 2005: Greenberg Resigns from AIG

On March 15, 2005, the AIG board forced Greenberg to resign from his post as chairman and CEO.

2005: Reduced Stake in Foreign Currency

In 2005, Warren Buffett substantially reduced his stake in the foreign currency market due to changing interest rates, while remaining bearish on the dollar.

February 9, 2006: AIG Agrees to Pay Fine

On February 9, 2006, AIG agreed to pay a $1.6 billion fine.

April 2006: Gain on currency contracts

In April 2006, Warren Buffett's total gain on forward contracts to deliver U.S. dollars against other currencies exceeded $2 billion.

June 2006: Plan to donate to charity

In June 2006, Warren Buffett announced a new plan to give 83% of his fortune to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF).

June 2006: Giving away Berkshire holdings

In June 2006, Warren Buffett announced his plan to gradually donate 85% of his Berkshire Hathaway holdings to five foundations, with the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation receiving the largest share, starting in July 2006.

June 23, 2006: Pledge to Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation

On June 23, 2006, Warren Buffett pledged about the equivalent of 10 million Berkshire Hathaway Class B shares to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (worth approximately $30.7 billion).

July 2006: Start of charitable stock gifts

Starting in July 2006, Warren Buffett began making annual gifts of Berkshire Hathaway stock to five foundations, fulfilling his June 2006 pledge.

2006: Auction of Lincoln Town Car

In 2006, Warren Buffett auctioned his 2001 Lincoln Town Car on eBay to raise money for Girls, Inc.

2006: Annual Salary

In 2006, Warren Buffett's annual salary was about $100,000, which was considered small compared to senior executive remuneration in comparable companies.

2007: Subprime mortgage crisis criticism

During the subprime mortgage crisis of 2007, part of the Great Recession starting in 2007, Warren Buffett faced criticism for allocating capital too early, resulting in suboptimal deals. He also called the downturn in the financial sector that started in 2007 "poetic justice".

2007: Auction of Luncheon with Buffett

In 2007, Warren Buffett auctioned a luncheon with himself that raised a final bid of $650,100 for the Glide Foundation.

2007: Bet on S&P 500 index fund

In 2007, Warren Buffett made a bet with numerous managers that a simple S&P 500 index fund would outperform hedge funds that charge exorbitant fees.

2007: Testimony Before the Senate on Estate Tax

In 2007, Warren Buffett testified before the Senate, advocating for the preservation of the estate tax to prevent a plutocracy. He argued against repealing it, comparing it to unfairly selecting the 2020 Olympic team. Some critics suggested that Berkshire Hathaway had a vested interest in maintaining the estate tax.

2007: PacifiCorp Canceled Coal-Fired Power Plants

In 2007, Warren Buffett's PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of his MidAmerican Energy Company, canceled six proposed coal-fired power plants due to pressure from regulators and citizen groups.

2007: Succession planning

In 2007, Warren Buffett, in a letter to shareholders, announced he was looking for a younger successor, or perhaps successors, to take over his investment business.

September 23, 2008: Acquisition of Goldman Sachs stock

On September 23, 2008, Berkshire Hathaway acquired 10 percent of perpetual preferred stock of Goldman Sachs.

October 2008: Purchase of General Electric preferred stock

In October 2008, Warren Buffett agreed to buy General Electric (GE) preferred stock with special incentives, including an option to buy three billion shares of GE stock at $22.25 and a 10% dividend.

October 2008: Investment in BYD Company

In October 2008, Warren Buffett invested $230 million for 10% of battery maker BYD Company, which also operates an electric automobile manufacturing subsidiary, and reaped over 500% return in less than one year.

2008: Total Compensation

In 2008, Warren Buffett earned a total compensation of $175,000, which included a base salary of just $100,000.

2008: Berkshire earnings drop and 'Buy American' op-ed

In 2008, Warren Buffett wrote "Buy American. I am." for an opinion piece published in the New York Times. Also in 2008, Berkshire Hathaway suffered a 77% drop in earnings during Q3.

February 2009: Sale of Procter & Gamble and Johnson & Johnson shares

In February 2009, Warren Buffett sold some Procter & Gamble Co. and Johnson & Johnson shares from his personal portfolio.

March 2009: Comments on the economy and inflation

In March 2009, Warren Buffett stated in a cable television interview that the economy had "fallen off a cliff" and expressed fears about the re-emergence of 1970s-style inflation.

June 2009: Berkshire Hathaway market capitalization

As of June 2009, measured by market capitalization in the Financial Times Global 500, Berkshire Hathaway was the eighteenth largest corporation in the world.

2009: Article in the New Yorker

In 2009, Warren Buffett cited Atul Gawande's 2009 article in the New Yorker as a useful consideration of U.S. health care, with its documentation of unwarranted variation in Medicare expenditures between McAllen, Texas and El Paso, Texas.

2009: Divestment from ConocoPhillips

In 2009, Warren Buffett divested his failed investment in ConocoPhillips, saying to his Berkshire investors.

2009: Sale of Johnson & Johnson Shares

In 2009, Warren Buffett sold shares of Johnson and Johnson. The sales of the shares during 2009 and 2012 were totaling $80 million in value.

December 9, 2010: Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge

On December 9, 2010, Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Mark Zuckerberg signed a promise they called the "Gates-Buffett Giving Pledge", in which they promise to donate to charity at least half of their wealth.

2010: The Giving Pledge Founded

In 2010, Warren Buffett and Bill Gates founded the Giving Pledge, whereby billionaires pledge to give away at least half of their fortunes.

2010: Healthcare Expenditure

In 2010, Warren Buffett said that it was not sustainable for the U.S. to devote 17% of its GDP to healthcare expenditure and compares health care costs to a tapeworm.

2010: Settlement with Gen Re

In 2010, the U.S. government agreed to a $92 million settlement with Gen Re, allowing the Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary to avoid prosecution in the AIG case.

2010: Merger with Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway

In 2010, the merger with the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF) closed upon BNSF shareholder approval during Q1. This deal was valued at approximately $44 billion (with $10 billion of outstanding BNSF debt).

March 18, 2011: Goldman Sachs buyback approval

On March 18, 2011, Goldman Sachs received Federal Reserve approval to buy back Berkshire's preferred stock in Goldman. Buffett had been reluctant to give up the stock.

November 2011: Purchase of IBM stock

In November 2011, Warren Buffett's purchase of 64 million shares of International Business Machine Corp (IBM) stock, worth around $11 billion, was announced, raising his stake in the company to around 5.5 percent.

2011: Acquisition of Omaha World Herald

In 2011, Warren Buffett's company acquired the Omaha World Herald. He reads five newspapers every day, beginning with the Omaha World Herald.

May 2012: Comments on Technology Stocks and IPOs

In May 2012, Warren Buffett stated he avoided investing in high-technology companies like Facebook and Google due to their complexity. He also advised against investing in initial public offerings (IPOs).

May 2012: Acquisition of Media General

In May 2012, Warren Buffett's acquisition of Media General, consisting of 63 newspapers in the south-eastern U.S., was announced.

2012: Sale of shares

In 2012, Warren Buffett sold shares of Walmart and Wells Fargo. The sales of the shares during 2009 and 2012 were totaling $80 million in value.

May 2013: Shareholders meeting

At the Berkshire shareholders meeting in May 2013, Warren Buffett explained that he did not expect newspaper acquisitions to "move the needle" at Berkshire but anticipated an annual return of 10 percent.

July 18, 2013: Purchase of Press of Atlantic City

On July 18, 2013, it was announced that the Press of Atlantic City would be sold to Warren Buffett's BH Media Group by ABARTA.

December 9, 2013: Purchase of USG Corporation shares

On December 9, 2013, Berkshire Hathaway purchased shares in USG Corporation, which they failed to report as required, leading to a fine in August 2014.

August 14, 2014: Berkshire Hathaway share price hits $200,000

On August 14, 2014, the price of Berkshire Hathaway's shares hit $200,000 a share for the first time, capitalizing the company at $328 billion.

August 20, 2014: Fine for failing to report stock purchase

On August 20, 2014, Berkshire Hathaway was fined $896,000 for failing to report as required the December 9, 2013 purchase of shares in USG Corporation.

2017: Index fund outperforms hedge funds

By 2017, Warren Buffet's S&P 500 index fund was outperforming every hedge fund that made the bet against Buffett in 2007.

January 2018: Comments on Bitcoin and Cryptocurrencies

In January 2018, Warren Buffett commented on the Bitcoin craze. He stated that the craze over Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies won't end well, referring to it later in the year as 'rat poison squared.'

2020: Comment on Inheritance Tax Repeal

In 2020, Warren Buffett expressed his disapproval of repealing the inheritance tax, likening it to choosing the Olympic team unfairly.

June 2021: Comments on COVID-19 Pandemic's Economic Impact

In a June 2021 interview with CNBC, Warren Buffett said that the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has increased economic inequality and bemoaned that most people are unaware that 'hundreds of thousands or millions' of small businesses have been negatively impacted. He also stated that the markets and the economy will likely be unpredictable well into the post-pandemic recovery period.

June 23, 2021: Resignation as Trustee of the Gates Foundation

Warren Buffett announced his resignation as a trustee of the Gates Foundation on June 23, 2021.

November 2022: Donation to Charitable Foundations

In November 2022, Warren Buffett made a donation of $750 million in Berkshire Hathaway shares to four charitable foundations run by his children.

2023: Charitable Contributions

As of 2023, Warren Buffett has given over $50 billion to charitable causes.

May 3, 2025: Greg Abel to succeed Buffett

On May 3, 2025, at Berkshire Hathaway's investor conference, Warren Buffett requested that the board appoint Greg Abel to succeed him as the company's chief executive officer by the year's end, whilst remaining chairman.

May 5, 2025: Appointment of Greg Abel as CEO

On May 5, 2025, Berkshire Hathaway announced the appointment of Greg Abel as president and CEO, effective January 1, 2026, with Warren Buffett remaining chairman.