HAVE YOU read the amazing news several hours ago that someone has made a winning bid of US$2.11 million (S$2.88 million) to have lunch with Warren Buffett?
He is Zhao Danyang, a Chinese national who manages private equity and whose bid will be paid to charity. Very little is known about him but I am sure more news will emerge.
For now, it's enough to know that Buffett's wit and wisdom are so highly prized.
These were the qualities we - a group of six Singaporeans - thoroughly enjoyed last month (May) when we travelled to Omaha, Nebraska to attend the Berkshire Hathaway AGM.
Buffett, 77, the richest man on the planet, has chosen to live in his hometown of Omaha, a city of 400,000 residents.
It’s far removed from the wheeling and dealing of Wall Street, whispers of insider news and what not.
Yet, in his own time, Buffett has identified great companies selling at great prices and bought them – and made loads of money. By Forbes’ recent estimate, he had US$62 billion in net worth.
In May every year, thousands of people converge on Omaha to attend the AGM.
This year there were 31,000, including us from Singapore: Audi Wong, a commercial pilot, and his wife Jana, a home-maker; David Leoy and Melvin Tan, investment analysts; Kathy Zhang, managing director of Financial PR, an investor relations company; and myself, previously a Straits Times journalist who recently co-founded this portal, www.nextinsight.net
We not only attended the AGM but also went to the places that have become iconic because of Buffett.
Improbable as it seems, we met Singaporeans - including Dr Ansgar Cheng and his wife, Moonlake. There was also a group of MBA students from the National University of Singapore.
I have written about our experiences for a 10-page special in the current issue of Pulses magazine, which is available at Spinelli’s (free coffee is thrown in) and leading newsstands for $5.50. Enjoy! Click: Our visit to Warren Buffett's Berkshire AGM: Wow!
If you have any questions on aspects such as the logistics of the trip and costs, send me an email at:
Several other pictures have earlier been published at the bottom of the following articles:
WARREN BUFFETT: How important is $ to him, what is real success, etc?
WARREN BUFFETT: Insights and wisdom of the greatest investor
Comments
For most Singapore-based investors, purchases of U.S. stocks are made through nominee accounts.
If so, how can we get invites to the AGMs of these U.S. companies, and in Berkshire's case, its ASM?
Hope you can share some insights, and how you got to attend the Berkshire ASM.
Thanks.