When Greg Abel — born and educated in Canada — steps into the top job at Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK-B), it marks a major turning point for one of the world’s most admired conglomerates. The transition also represents a moment of pride and strategic interest for Canadian investors. Abel’s Canadian roots, his rise through the ranks at Berkshire Energy, and his operational background offer insight into where the company may be headed next — and how Canadians continue to shape global investing.
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From Edmonton to Omaha: The Canadian rise of Greg Abel
Born in Edmonton, Alberta, in 1962, Abel earned a Bachelor of Commerce in accounting from the University of Alberta in 1984 (1). After qualifying as a chartered accountant with PwC, he joined CalEnergy in 1992, a company that later became part of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK-B) through MidAmerican Energy (2).
By 2008, Abel was CEO of MidAmerican Energy, and in 2014 the company was renamed Berkshire Hathaway Energy (BHE) — a private firm within the Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK-B). His success in building BHE into a global energy powerhouse — with assets stretching from North America to the United Kingdom and the Philippines — led to his appointment in 2018 as vice-chairman of Berkshire’s non-insurance operations and a seat on the board of directors (3).
In November 2025, Warren Buffett confirmed that Abel would become Berkshire’s new CEO at year-end (4). In Warren Buffett’s letter to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK-B) shareholders, dated November 10, 2025, Buffett praised Abel (5) as “a great manager, a tireless worker and an honest communicator."
Abel’s own reflections reveal a pragmatic philosophy rooted in effort and preparation (6): “I think hard work leads to good outcomes. In my schooling, in sports, and in my business positions, I learned that if I put in a lot of work and was well-prepared, then success would be more likely.”
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Why the transition matters to Canadian investors
Abel’s promotion holds both symbolic and practical importance for Canadian investors.
National pride: A Canadian-born leader at the helm of Berkshire Hathaway demonstrates the global impact of Canadian business education and management culture. It’s a point of pride for a country that consistently produces world-class financial and industrial executives.
Strategic interest: Abel’s operational expertise — honed in the utilities and renewables sector — may shape Berkshire’s capital allocation in ways that resonate with Canadian investors. His approach aligns with themes familiar to Canadians: Stable, income-producing infrastructure and energy investments that balance profitability with sustainability.
MoneyWeek describes Abel as “more of a strategic business builder and manager” rather than a traditional stock-picker (7). That perspective complements Berkshire’s vast collection of operating companies and could mean a stronger focus on businesses with durable, regulated returns.
For Canadian shareholders — many of whom hold Berkshire stock through ETFs or pension funds — Abel’s leadership may reinforce the long-term, cash-flow-driven investing philosophy that mirrors Canada’s own institutional approach.
What Greg Abel brings to Berkshire Hathaway
Operational excellence and long-term focus
Abel’s strength lies in running businesses, not trading them. His tenure at Berkshire Hathaway Energy demonstrated a steady hand for scaling assets, managing complex regulation and investing in renewable infrastructure. Under his guidance, BHE expanded its renewable portfolio and became a cornerstone of Berkshire’s consistent earnings (8).
Utilities and renewables as growth engines
Abel’s leadership is expected to emphasize predictable, cash-flow-generating assets — particularly in utilities, transmission and renewable power. This approach aligns with global trends toward sustainable infrastructure and income stability, offering investors more visibility and less volatility.
Culture and continuity
Buffett has long said Berkshire’s greatest asset is its culture: decentralized management, integrity and patience. Abel, who lived for several years in Omaha (9), is widely seen as the natural steward of that ethos. He is positioned to blend Buffett’s long-term vision with a modern, operationally-focused discipline that reflects the complexity of today’s global economy.
Canadian leaders shaping North American finance
Abel is part of a growing list of Canadians leading global financial institutions:
- Bruce Flatt — A Winnipeg native and University of Manitoba graduate, Flatt is CEO of Brookfield Asset Management, which oversees more than US$1 trillion (C$1.4 trillion) in assets (forbes.com). Often dubbed “Canada’s Warren Buffett,” he has built Brookfield into a powerhouse in real assets and infrastructure (10).
- Mark Carney — The former Bank of Canada and Bank of England governor, Carney also held the chair of Brookfield’s transition investing arm and co-leads efforts in climate-related finance (11) before being elected as Prime Minister of Canada in early 2025.
- Jane Fraser — Although born in Scotland, Citigroup’s CEO studied at Harvard and spent time in Canadian financial circles during her consulting career, emphasizing the cross-border flow of talent.
- Mark Machin — Former CEO of the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB), Machin guided one of the world’s largest retirement funds into global private-equity and infrastructure markets (12).
Together, these leaders demonstrate how Canada’s education system, capital markets and institutional investing culture continue to influence North American finance at the highest levels.
Implications for Canadian investors
Abel’s leadership at Berkshire may signal a shift toward steady, utility-anchored growth — a style familiar to Canadians who favour dividend-rich and infrastructure-based investments. Key takeaways for investors include:
- Income stability: Expect emphasis on long-duration, regulated earnings streams similar to those in Canadian utilities like Fortis (TSX:FTS.TO) or Hydro One (TSX:H.TO).
- Cross-border opportunity: With Canadian-trained executives shaping global firms, investors may find growth potential in Canada-US infrastructure, renewables and energy-transition funds.
- Leadership continuity: Abel’s appointment underscores Berkshire’s commitment to steady, values-driven management — reassuring for long-term shareholders in both countries.
A new era of Canadian influence
When Buffett described Abel (12) as “a great manager, a tireless worker and an honest communicator,” he was doing more than naming a successor — he was affirming the next phase of Berkshire’s evolution. As a Canadian steps into one of the most powerful positions in global business, the moment highlights both the depth of Canadian leadership and the growing interconnection of the North American investment landscape.
From Edmonton to Omaha, from Brookfield to Bay Street, Canada’s fingerprints are increasingly visible on global capital. For investors north and south of the border, Greg Abel’s rise signals that the era of Canadian leadership in world finance is just getting started.
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Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Wikipedia: Greg Abel (1, 3); Horatio Alger Association (2, 8); AP News: Who is Greg Abel, the executive picked to be successor to Warren Buffett? (4, 6); Berkshire Hathaway (5, 9, 12); Moneyweek (7); Forbes: Bruce Flatt (10); LiveMint (11); CPP Investments (12)
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