Warren Buffett has long been known as one of the world’s most successful investors. Now the billionaire and chairman of Berkshire Hathaway wants to invest more in women, and is seeking to support more women board members and CEOs. Speaking at the first United State of Women Summit, he said that doing so is the best way to empower women–thereby giving the American economy its best shot.
independent.co.uk – One of the most famous investors in the world has said he is looking to invest in more women-run companies and bring more women onto his board.
Warren Buffett, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, told the audience at the first ever United State of Women summit in Washington DC that he currently invests in six companies with female CEOs and is “looking for more”.
He also has three women on the board of Berkshire Hathaway and wants to up that number too.
“What makes me even more enthusiastic about the future, is that 90% of that time [in the past] we were only using half of our talent. Think about what would happen if we used all the talent for 100% of the time,” he said. “It’s like having one hand behind your back.“
The first woman to join his board in 2003 was Charlotte Guyman. Her name was suggested to him at first by his wife.
“I said ‘bingo’, but I didn’t think of it myself, and that demonstrates one of the problems we men have to get over,” he confided.
Since then, Susan Decker and Meryl Witmer have joined the 12-strong board, which includes Bill Gates and Mr Buffett’s son, Howard Graham Buffett.
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