Greg Abel Holds First Berkshire Hathaway Annual Meeting as CEO

Greg Abel hosted his first Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting as CEO in Omaha after succeeding Warren Buffett on January 1 2026. Abel fielded questions from shareholders, appointed Adam Johnson president of Berkshire's consumer service and retail businesses, and shared the stage with Adam Johnson and Katie Farmer, CEO of BNSF Railway, during the second half of the Q&A session.

Abel answered directly when asked if he would break up Berkshire.

"Absolutely not," he replied. He said the conglomerate's structure of decentralized autonomous subsidiaries worked efficiently to limit bureaucracy and cost bloat. Abel reiterated Buffett's philosophy of owning businesses for the long term and only selling for a compelling reason such as regulation, risk or unsustainable losses.

Attendees offered mixed reactions to Abel's performance, with some noting his command of detail while others said they were more interested in financial outcomes than personal style.

Bill Hughes, a 41-year-old financial advisor from Oklahoma, said Abel's willingness to have Buffett say a few words and sit for an interview suggested he was a "proven and confident leader" rather than an insecure one. "I think it's kudos to Greg that he doesn't seem afraid to have Warren around," Hughes said.

" Jay Williams, a 40-year-old real estate investor from Florida, took a more bottom-line view.

"Let's be real: We're shareholders, we're here for the money," Williams said. "I can look at YouTube if I want jokes. " Pat Egan, CEO of See's Candies, has known Abel for a couple of decades after previously working at PacifiCorp and NV Energy.

"He is about the consistency and the integrity that Warren and Charlie always brought to the business," Egan said. " John Choe, a 31-year-old real estate and stocks investor from Atlanta who spoke to Abel last year, said during the Q&A that Abel was "much more thorough" in his answers than Buffett. "Greg's tough," Choe said.

Choe said he also learned a lot about how capital moves within Berkshire. Adam Mead, author of "The Complete Financial History of Berkshire Hathaway," said Abel struck him as having a "nice balance" of being knowledgeable about Berkshire and being a partner with the CEOs while holding them accountable.

Mortez Washington, a 52-year-old ICU nurse from Memphis, praised Abel for saying he will only intervene in subsidiaries when necessary.

400 hitter how to hold the bat,'" Washington said. Malinda Williams, a 40-year-old local financial advisor, said her impression was that Abel would demand accountability and for those who need more hands-on support, he is willing to get in the trenches with them. Business Insider reported these reactions from attendees at the Omaha meeting.