In this May 2, 2009 file photo, Warren Buffett, CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, waves to shareholders prior to the annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting in Omaha, Neb. Buffett’s 82nd birthday on Thursday, Aug, 30, 2012, gave Berkshire Hathaway shareholders reason to celebrate another year of his leadership, but it also reminded investors to worry about who will run the evolving company after Buffett is gone. AP/Nati Harnik, File
NEW YORK— Warren Buffett says he’s done with radiation treatments for cancer, and the Oracle of Omaha seems eager to move on.
The billionaire investor and chairman and CEO of investment firm Berkshire Hathaway Inc. broke the news Friday while speaking to a group of executives from newspapers he owns. “It’s a great day for me. Today I had my 44th and last day of radiation,” he said, according to the Berkshire-owned Omaha World-Herald.
Buffett had disclosed in the spring that he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. At the time, he said the disease was detected early and wasn’t life-threatening.
Any discussion of Buffett’s health raises questions about how long he can keep running his investment firm, Berkshire Hathaway. Buffett turned 82 two weeks ago and celebrated by giving away more of his $44 billion fortune to his three children, for their charitable foundations.
Buffett said at the time that he was feeling fine and that his decision wasn’t related to his health. Instead, he wanted to reward his children for the progress their foundations have made on issues like ending violence against women and helping farmers in impoverished nations. Buffett has already pledged to give away most of his personal fortune to charity.
Berkshire plans to split Buffett’s job into three parts once he is gone. The next CEO will run Berkshire, but two other men hired by Buffett in recent years will oversee investment. Buffett wants his eldest son to succeed him as chairman.
With the newspaper executives, Buffett joked about planning to live to be the oldest man alive.
Buffett has assembled more than 80 businesses at Berkshire including manufacturing, utility and insurance companies.