Warren Edward Buffett was born August 30, 1930 in Omaha, Nebraska, United States an American investor, businessman, and philanthropist. He is one of the world's most successful investors and the largest shareholder and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is constantly ranked by Forbes as the second richest person in the world after Bill Gates with an estimated net worth of approximately $50.0 billion.Buffet is often called the "Oracle of Omaha"or the "Sage of Omaha" and is noted for his adherence to the value investing philosophy and for his personal frugality despite his immense wealth.His 2006 annual salary was about $150,000, which is small compared to senior executive remuneration in comparable companies. Year 2007, he earned a total compensation of $180,000, which included a base salary of just $150,000. Year 2008, he again earned a total compensation of just $180,000, which included a base salary of $150,000. Warren lives in the same house in the central Dundee neighborhood of Omaha that he bought in 1958 for $35,500, today valued at around $750,000 (although he also does have a $4.5 million home in Laguna Beach, California). When Warren Buffett spent $10 million of Berkshire's funds on a private jet in 1989, he jokingly named it "The Indefensible" because of his past criticisms of such purchases by other CEOs.
Buffet is also a notable philanthropist, having pledged to give away 90% of his fortune to the Gates Foundation. He also serves as a member of the board of trustees at Grinnell College.In 1999, Buffett was named the top money manager of the twentieth century in a survey by the Carson Group, ahead of Peter Lynch and John Templeton,and in 2007, he was listed among Time's 100 Most Influential People in the world.
