April 18, 2012 · 0 Comments
THE DIAGNOSIS: Billionaire Warren Buffett said Tuesday he has been diagnosed with early-stage prostate cancer. The 81-year-old chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. said in a letter to shareholders the condition is “not remotely life-threatening.”
GOOD PROGNOSIS: Cancer experts say Buffett’s diagnosis shouldn’t be a major concern because it appears his doctors caught the disease early. The two-month radiation treatment he and his doctors plan to start in mid-July will restrict his travel but shouldn’t otherwise affect his routine.
SUCCESSION PLAN: The news will remind Berkshire investors of Buffett’s mortality and rekindle speculation about his successor. Buffett told shareholders in February that the company’s board has chosen someone to succeed him as CEO — someday — and he said there are two backup candidates. None of the three has been publicly identified.
By Emma Brown