Overview

This knowledge base documents the life, career, and investment philosophy of [[Warren Buffett]] and the businesses he built at [[Berkshire Hathaway]]. It covers the people, companies, concepts, and events that shaped one of the most remarkable investing careers of the 20th and 21st centuries.

People

The central figures include [[Warren Buffett]], the "Oracle of Omaha"; [[Charlie Munger]], his partner of 56 years who reshaped Berkshire's investment philosophy; [[Benjamin Graham]], the father of [[Value Investing]] who taught Buffett at Columbia; and [[Greg Abel]], Buffett's successor as CEO. Ajit Jain oversees Berkshire's insurance operations.

Companies

Berkshire Hathaway began as a struggling textile mill and was transformed into a conglomerate of over 80 operating companies. Its wholly owned subsidiaries include [[GEICO]], [[See's Candies]], General Re, BNSF Railway, Dairy Queen, Duracell, and Precision Castparts. Major equity holdings include [[Apple Inc.]], [[American Express]], [[Coca-Cola]], and Bank of America.

Concepts

Buffett's investment philosophy evolved from the deep-value [[Cigar Butt Investing]] he learned from Graham to a quality-focused approach championed by Munger—buying wonderful businesses at fair prices. The [[Insurance Float]] generated by Berkshire's insurance operations provided the capital that made this strategy scalable. The [[Giving Pledge]], co-founded by Buffett, commits wealthy individuals to donate the majority of their fortunes to charity.

Events

Key events include the [[Salad Oil Scandal]] (1963), which created Buffett's first major brand-investment opportunity in [[American Express]]; the [[Salomon Brothers Scandal]] (1991), where Buffett's personal reputation saved the firm from collapse; and the [[2008 Financial Crisis]], where Buffett acted as a "one-man bailout machine" with highly profitable investments in Goldman Sachs and General Electric.