Greg Abel is the CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Energy, and let me tell you, he’s basically the unsung hero of the Buffett empire. While everyone was drooling over stock picks and market timing, Abel was out there buying power plants and wind farms like they were going out of style. Boring? Maybe. Brilliant? Absolutely.
Think about it: Berkshire’s non-insurance businesses—like railroads, utilities, and energy—are the quiet cash machines. Abel didn’t just run them; he optimized them like a master chef perfecting a stew. He made Buffett’s money work harder without ever needing a spotlight. That’s the kind of colleague you want in a sandbox fight—steady, smart, and unflappable.
Why Not the Other Guy? (You Know, the One with the Handshake Pads)
So, why not Todd Combs or Ted Weschler, the investment whiz kids Buffett hired to maybe take over the portfolio? Honestly, they’re like the cool band members in a rock group—total stars, but not the ones who should run the band’s tour bus. Buffett wants a capital allocator, not just a stock picker.
Who Is Greg Abel, the Executive Chosen as Warren Buffett’s Successor
Abel gets the big picture. He understands that Berkshire isn’t a hedge fund; it’s a collection of real businesses—from See’s Candies to GEICO to a railroad that moves half the country’s goods. Can you imagine Todd Combs trying to negotiate with a union boss at BNSF Railway? I’d pay to see that, but maybe not with my retirement money.
Here’s the funny part: Buffett once joked that he’s looking for a successor who’s “younger than me” and “willing to work for almost nothing.” Abel fits the bill—he’s 62, works out of a modest office in Des Moines, Iowa, and probably drives a sensible sedan. The guy is the anti-CEO. He’s like the dad who fixes the kitchen sink and then quietly reads the business section—except he’s running a trillion-dollar empire.
