financetom
Business
financetom
/
Business
/
Berkshire Hathaway director Olson to step down, Buffett opposes shareholder proposals
News World Market Environment Technology Personal Finance Politics Retail Business Economy Cryptocurrency Forex Stocks Market Commodities
Berkshire Hathaway director Olson to step down, Buffett opposes shareholder proposals
Mar 14, 2025 4:15 PM

(Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK/A ) said on Friday longtime Director Ronald Olson will be leaving its board because of a policy change requiring directors, except for Warren Buffett, to step down after turning 80.

In a proxy statement for its May 3 annual meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, Berkshire also said its board unanimously urged the rejection of seven shareholder proposals, including three on its subsidiaries' diversity and anti-discrimination efforts.

Berkshire also said Buffett's compensation was $405,111 in 2024, comprising his usual $100,000 salary plus personal and home security.

Vice Chairman Greg Abel, who is expected to succeed Buffett as chief executive, and Vice Chairman Ajit Jain saw their compensation grow $1 million to $21 million each.

Abel, 62, oversees non-insurance businesses such as the BNSF railroad and Berkshire Hathaway Energy, while Jain, 73, oversees insurance businesses such as Geico car insurance.

Olson, 83, is a partner at the law firm Munger, Tolles & Olson, and has been a Berkshire director since 1997.

He is leaving Berkshire's 14-member board because of the new age limit in its corporate governance guidelines. All other directors apart from Buffett are 75 or younger.

Olson did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Buffett is excused from the age limit because he controls 30.3% of Berkshire's voting power, triggering an exception for people who control at least 5%.

The 94-year-old billionaire also owns about 14.4% of Berkshire stock. He would be allowed to remain a director upon retiring, if the independent directors want him to stay.

Shareholder proposals include resolutions by conservative investors that Berkshire report on how its business practices affect employees based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin and political views, and on risks from its subsidiaries' race-based initiatives.

Berkshire's board called both reports unnecessary, saying subsidiaries set their own policies and "Berkshire's approach is simple - follow the law and do the right thing."

The board also opposed a proposal to create a committee to oversee diversity and inclusion, saying its audit committee already oversees diversity matters.

It also said a proposal to have independent directors oversee risks associated with artificial intelligence was unnecessary and inconsistent with Berkshire's decentralized culture.

Comments
Welcome to financetom comments! Please keep conversations courteous and on-topic. To fosterproductive and respectful conversations, you may see comments from our Community Managers.
Sign up to post
Sort by
Show More Comments
Related Articles >
After India, China gives financing assurances to Sri Lanka for IMF bailout package
After India, China gives financing assurances to Sri Lanka for IMF bailout package
Jan 22, 2023
China has given debtridden Sri Lanka the financing assurances required by the IMF to unlock a USD 2.9 billion bailout package for the country, days after India strongly backed the island nation's efforts to secure the loan from the global lender to recover from its worstever economic crisis.
Ahead of crucial talks, IMF spots Rs 2 trillion breach in Pakistan’s budgetary estimates
Ahead of crucial talks, IMF spots Rs 2 trillion breach in Pakistan’s budgetary estimates
Jan 28, 2023
Pakistan and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) officials are scheduled to kick-start parleys from Tuesday for accomplishing the ninth review under the Extended Fund Facility during which the fiscal slippages and reconciliation of figures will be the major topic of discussion.
Shell considers exiting UK, German, Dutch energy retail businesses
Shell considers exiting UK, German, Dutch energy retail businesses
Jan 26, 2023
Shell injected nearly $1.5 billion in cash and credit into its British energy retail business in 2022 to help it weather huge volatility in power prices that caused the collapse of several rival UK utilities. Shell Energy Retail, its UK business, has 1.4 million customers, while its German business has 110,000 and the Dutch business 15,000.
WEF founder heaps praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Davos comes to a close
WEF founder heaps praises on Prime Minister Narendra Modi as Davos comes to a close
Jan 20, 2023
"India is promoting a just and equitable growth for all in the world during its G20 presidency, while also making significant progress on the most pressing domestic challenges. India’s G20 presidency comes at a crucial time, Prime Minister Modi’s leadership is critical in this fractured world," World Economic Forum's Founder and Executive Chairman Klaus Schwab said.
Copyright 2023-2026 - www.financetom.com All Rights Reserved