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Warren Buffett is renowned for his success as an investor and also noted for his work as a philanthropist. Your options are limited if you want to contact him, and a reply is never guaranteed. Nonetheless, if you are determined to contact him with an investment proposal, charitable request, or other comment, there are a few different routes you can try.
Things You Should Know
- Email or write to Warren Buffet at Berkshire Hathaway, Inc. for large investment requests that meet his published criteria.
- Email, call, or write to Warren Buffet at the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for charitable requests.
- Tweet him @WarrenBuffet or attend his annual Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting to try direct communication. [1] X Research source
Steps
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Write him a letter. The only mailing address available to the public is the address of his company, Berkshire Hathaway Inc. He is the company's chairman, president, and CEO.- Mail your letter to: [2]
X
Research source
- Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
- 3555 Farnam Street
- Suite 1440
- Omaha, NE 68131
- Address Warren Buffett in the greeting of your actual letter. He will not open the letter directly, but staff members who may open and read your letter first will at least know that you intend to reach Mr. Buffett directly.
- Mail your letter to: [2]
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Research source
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E-mail him. While Warren Buffett does not have a personal e-mail address and reportedly does not check the e-mail address provided for Berkshire Hathaway, there is some chance that a message sent to the Berkshire Hathaway e-mail address may reach him if the content is significant enough. [3] X Research source- The e-mail address is: berkshire@berkshirehathaway.com
- Note that there is a disclaimer on the website directly stating that the personnel at the corporate office is unable to provide a direct response to e-mail messages.
- The e-mail address should be used primarily for inquiries or comments related to the Berkshire Hathaway Inc. website. Only use it as a means of contacting Warren Buffett as a last resort; try sending a letter via regular mail first, if at all possible.
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Know what to expect. When you write to Mr. Buffett using the Berkshire Hathaway contact information, your letter may not actually reach him. He receives approximately 250 to 300 letters each day, all of which must go through various staff members before they arrive at his desk. [4] X Research source- Unsolicited mail rarely receives a reply. This includes personal mail, charitable gift requests, and most investment proposals.
- If you are making a charitable gift request, contact Buffett through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. He is a primary trustee for the foundation and works with the Gates to develop charitable giving strategies.
Make use of multiple contact options.
"I used to think there was no way to reach someone as famous as Warren Buffett. This article showed me the different methods I can try, from writing him letters to tweeting at him. I know he probably won't write back, but it's cool to learn how regular people can at least try to contact famous business leaders and philanthropists."
- Mona M.
Follow proper procedures for potential results.
"I figured Warren Buffett would read anything sent to him since he's so rich, but this article helped me realize there are proper channels I need to go through.
Now I know I should write Berkshire Hathaway for investing ideas or the Gates Foundation for charity requests, and follow their guidelines. That boosts my chances of getting through, even though it's still a long shot."
- Dan K.
Target the right contacts for your goals.
"As a Berkshire Hathaway investor, I was curious how their companies handle disability issues. The article made it clear I need to write the main Berkshire office about business stuff, not the Gates Foundation, which focuses on charity. Knowing who to contact about what makes me feel more confident I'll reach the right people."
- Rodney B.
Get advice from a fellow seeker.
"It was reassuring to hear from someone else who tried to contact Warren Buffett that it's really hard but can be worth trying. While he probably won't write back to me either, I felt motivated knowing I'm not the only average person wanting to reach out to him. The tips from a fellow fan were super helpful."
- Diane J.
Have a story our readers should hear? Share it with 1 billion+ annual wikiHow users. Tell us your story here
.
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Know what to write. The only way you might have your letter read and replied to is if you write an investment proposal that meets all the investment criteria set by Warren Buffett in his annual letter to shareholders.- You can find the letter to shareholders here: https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/letters/letters.html
- While the acquisition criteria can change from year to year, oftentimes, business representatives must adhere to the following standards when they write:
- The acquisition must be a large purchase.
- The business must have demonstrated consistent earning power.
- The business must earn good returns on equity with little to no debt.
- The management must already be in place.
- The business must be simple.
- The proposal must come with an offering price.
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Note the missing pieces. There is no public phone number or fax number for either Warren Buffett or Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
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Contact the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for charitable gift requests. Warren Buffett is a trustee of the foundation and has considerable influence within the organization. Moreover, most of his charitable donations are made through the foundation, as well. [5] X Research source- Note that most unsolicited mail does not receive a reply, so you may not get a letter back.
- When writing to the foundation, you should use the generic "To Whom It May Concern" heading. Warren Buffett does not directly check mail sent to the foundation, nor do Bill or Melinda Gates.
- In the body of your message, within the first few paragraphs, mention that you would like the letter to be forwarded to Warren Buffett.
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Send an e-mail. You can contact the foundation at: media@gatesfoundation.org. [6] X Research source- Note that this e-mail address is one of the recommended ways of contacting the foundation about grant inquiries.
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Call with a grant inquiry. If you do not have an e-mail address to use, you could call the foundation directly about a grant inquiry at: 206-709-340. [7] X Research source- Before calling or e-mailing with a grant inquiry, it is strongly recommended that you review the foundation's Grantseeker FAQ.
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Contact the main office. You can do so by mail or by phone. [8] X Research source- The mailing address for the main office is:
- 500 Fifth Avenue North
- Seattle, WA 98109
- The phone number for the main office is: 206-709-3100
- The mailing address for the main office is:
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Get in touch with the East Coast office. You can write or call. [9] X Research source- The mailing address for this office is:
- PO Box 6176
- Ben Franklin Station
- Washington, D.C. 20044
- Use the following phone number: 202-662-8130
- The mailing address for this office is:
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Use the Europe and Middle East office. You can send a letter or make a phone call for this office, as well. [10] X Research source- The mailing address is:
- 80-100 Victoria Street
- London
- SW1E 5JL
- The phone number is: +44 (0) 207 798 6500
- The mailing address is:
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Contact one of the other offices. The foundation also has a China office and an India office, both of which can only be contacted via telephone. [11] X Research source- The phone number for the China office is: 011-86-10-8454-7500
- The phone number for the India office is: 011-91-11-4713-8800
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Enroll in an MBA program. While there is no guarantee that pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree will allow you to meet Warren Buffett, this is actually the best method to pursue if you hope to speak with him in person. [12] X Research source- Six times each year, Mr. Buffett invites graduate level business students from 45 universities to come to his office in Omaha, Nebraska.
- During these visits, the students interact with him during a 90-minute question and answer session. Afterward, he treats the students to lunch.
- Each college can only send 20 students, and of those students, 30 percent or more must be women.
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Attend his annual meeting. Warren Buffett has a shareholder meeting once every year. You can hear him speak, but the odds are low that you will actually be able to meet him or speak to him in return.- The meeting is usually on the first Saturday of May.
- For more information, go to: https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/sharehold.html
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Community Q&A
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QuestionDoes Warren Buffett give money to individuals?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerWarren Buffett typically does not give money to individuals, although he frequently donates to charities. However, he has in the past forwarded individual requests for money to his sister, Ms. Doris Buffett, who operates an organization called the Sunshine Lady Foundation. She would occasionally assist individuals with financial gifts, averaging about $4,800. There have recently been internal problems in the organization, and it’s not clear if this practice will continue.
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QuestionWhat charities does Warren Buffett support?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerAmong the main charities he supports are the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the Susan Thomas Buffett Foundation, the Howard G. Buffett Foundation, the Sherwood Foundation, and the NoVo Foundation.
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QuestionWhat is the Buffett Rule?This answer was written by one of our trained team of researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness.wikiHow Staff EditorStaff AnswerThe Buffett Rule was a proposed fair share tax dating to the Obama administration. The idea was that people who make more than 1 million dollars per year should pay a minimum tax rate of 30%. This rule was named after Warren Buffett because he stated that he thought it was unfair that he should pay a lower tax rate than his secretary.
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References
- ↑ https://twitter.com/warrenbuffett
- ↑ https://www.berkshirehathaway.com/
- ↑ https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/berkshire-hathaway-corp
- ↑ https://www.philanthropy.com/article/how-warren-buffett-handles-donation-pleas-from-individuals/
- ↑ https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/leadership/warren-buffett
- ↑ https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/contact
- ↑ https://www.gatesfoundation.org/about/contact
- ↑ https://www.gatesfoundation.org/Who-We-Are/General-Information/Contact-Us
- ↑ https://www.devex.com/organizations/gates-foundation-44525
About This Article
Article Summary
X
If you want to contact Warrent Buffet, post a tweet to the user @WarrenBuffet if you want to make a quick comment that doesn’t require a response. You could also address a letter to him at his company's address. Alternatively, send him an email to berkshire@berkshirehathaway.com, but keep in mind that he doesn’t check this email address personally. If you want to have a higher chance of speaking to Warren Buffett face-to-face, enroll in an MBA program, since Buffett invites business students from 45 universities to his office 6 times a year for a question and answer session. For tips on how to contact Warren Buffett through the Bill and Malinda Gates Foundation, keep reading!
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Reader Success Stories
- "I figured Warren Buffett would read anything sent to him since he's so rich, but this article helped me realize there are proper channels I need to go through. Now I know I should write Berkshire Hathaway for investing ideas or the Gates Foundation for charity requests, and follow their guidelines. That boosts my chances of getting through, even though it's still a long shot." ..." more
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"I figured Warren Buffett would read anything sent to him since he's so rich, but this article helped me realize there are proper channels I need to go through.
Now I know I should write Berkshire Hathaway for investing ideas or the Gates Foundation for charity requests, and follow their guidelines. That boosts my chances of getting through, even though it's still a long shot."
..."
more
"I used to think there was no way to reach someone as famous as Warren Buffett. This article showed me the different methods I can try, from writing him letters to tweeting at him. I know he probably won't write back, but it's cool to learn how regular people can at least try to contact famous business leaders and philanthropists."
..."
more
"As a Berkshire Hathaway investor, I was curious how their companies handle disability issues. The article made it clear I need to write the main Berkshire office about business stuff, not the Gates Foundation, which focuses on charity. Knowing who to contact about what makes me feel more confident I'll reach the right people.
"
..."
more
"It was reassuring to hear from someone else who tried to contact Warren Buffett that it's really hard but can be worth trying. While he probably won't write back to me either, I felt motivated knowing I'm not the only average person wanting to reach out to him. The tips from a fellow fan were super helpful."
..."
more
"I follow Mr. Buffett's news letters and his warnings about what's going on in America and across the globe. I am trying to help disabled people and disabled vets by getting a charity open called Help, Hope, and Opportunity. It would be amazing to have help."
..."
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