Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1537054
8 SMT007 MAGAZINE I JULY 2025 Over the years, I have cherished the lessons by Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger at the Berk- shire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting in Omaha, Nebraska. This year, I was among the more than 40,000 who attended the May 3 meeting. Millions more from around the world, including from the UK, Ger- many, Japan, China, Panama, and Guatemala, tuned in remotely and via CNBC's livestream. Last year had special meaning when Buffett took the stage alone. His longtime friend and trusted business partner, Charlie Munger, had passed away on Nov. 28, 2023, a few weeks shy of his 100th birthday. This year held another poignant moment: Dur- ing the closing remarks of the five-hour Q&A ses- sion, Buffett made a surprising announcement: He is stepping down as CEO in December, though he will remain on the board. During the meeting, Buffett responded to an array of questions, alternating between those sub- S M T P E RS P ECT I V ES A N D P RO S P ECTS Warren Buffett's Perpetual Wisdom, Part 1 by D r. J ennie S. Hwang, H-Te chnolo gies Group mitted by audience members (selected by lot- tery within each arena zone) and those chosen by CNBC from viewers around the globe. All questions and answers were spontaneous, and Buffett addressed them with great insight. This month, I'll share comments on life lessons. Next month, I'll focus on his comments about the United States, capitalism, and investment. Ultimate Pride and Achievement Buffett's statement says it all: "Berkshire has a spe- cial reputation that when there are times of trouble for the government, Berkshire is an asset and not a liability, which is very hard to have because usually the public and government get very negative on business if there's a time like that." The company's massive stock portfolio holds substantial shares of Apple, American Express, and Chevron, among others. Berkshire has grown from Buffett's investment vehicle to a sprawling conglomerate with nearly 400,000 employees and Editor's note: This is part one of a two-part series on the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting. ▼ Wa r re n B u f fet t s p e a ks d u r i n g t h e B e r ks h i re H at h away A n n u a l S h a re h o l d e rs M e et i n g i n O m a h a , N e b ra s ka o n M ay 3 , 2 0 2 5. C N B C