From Omaha to MENA: Buffett’s Bold Bets as the Oracle
By: Asal Taheri
In the quiet streets of Omaha, Nebraska, a boy who bought his first stock at age eleven began a journey that would crown him the Oracle of Omaha—Warren Buffett, the titan of value investing. Born in 1930, Buffett transformed a failing textile mill, Berkshire Hathaway, into a $1.1 trillion empire, weaving a tapestry of investments from Coca-Cola to Apple with a disciplined eye for undervalued gems. His 19.8% annual compounded return since 1965 is a testament to his genius, yet his frugal life in a 1958 home and pledge to donate 99% of his $159.7 billion fortune reveal a humility that captivates. known are his quirks—like a daily McDonald’s breakfast tailored to market moods—or his rare missteps, such as a $4.1 million fine tied to a subsidiary’s dealings in Iran. From Israel’s Iscar to global banks with MENA roots, Buffett’s Middle East ventures blend boldness with caution, offering a fresh lens on a man whose legacy transcends finance.
The Making of an Oracle
Warren Buffett’s ascent to the pinnacle of global finance began not with a single company, but with a relentless mind honed by discipline and an uncanny knack for seeing value where others saw risk. At 26, armed with a Columbia master’s degree and lessons from mentor Benjamin Graham, he launched Buffett Partnership Ltd. in 1956, turning $105,100 from family and friends into a $66 million fund by 1969 with a 29.5% annualized return. His strategy—buying undervalued “cigar butt” stocks and later “wonderful businesses” like See’s Candies—set him apart in an era of market speculation. By acquiring Berkshire Hathaway in 1965, a struggling textile firm, he began crafting a conglomerate that would house giants like GEICO and Coca-Cola, growing his wealth to $159.7 billion by 2025. Lesser known is his early hustle, selling newspapers and pinball machines, or his 1950 rejection by Harvard Business School, a slight that fueled his resolve. Buffett’s rise was no accident; it was a masterclass in patience, conviction, and a near-obsessive study of balance sheets, earning him the mantle of the Oracle long before Wall Street bowed.
Buffett’s Calculated Dance in MENA
Warren Buffett’s ventures in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) reflect a cautious approach, with limited but strategic engagements in the UAE. In 2019, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gulf Properties opened a Dubai office, targeting the emirate’s booming real estate market, driven by tax-free income and residency visas. Led by chairman Ihsan Al Marzouqi and CEO Phil Sheridan, the operation started with 30 advisers and plans for an Abu Dhabi branch, though its scale remains modest within Berkshire’s vast portfolio. Additionally, NetJets, Berkshire’s luxury plane unit, announced plans in 2019 to open a Dubai sales office by Q1 2020 to attract high-net-worth individuals and corporations, signaling interest in the UAE’s wealth hub.
Even the Oracle’s empire, vast as it is, can falter in the complex tapestry of global trade. Between 2012 and 2016, Iscar’s Turkish subsidiary, Iscar Kesici Takim, unwittingly entangled Berkshire in a sanctions violation by selling $383,443 in cutting tools to Turkish distributors, aware they would reach an Iranian firm linked to Tehran’s government. Senior managers, hopeful for a sanctions thaw, obscured the transactions with falsified invoices and private emails, bypassing oversight from Omaha. When a 2016 whistleblower exposed the breach, Buffett swiftly self-reported to U.S. authorities, leading to a $4.1 million settlement in August 2020—a minor sting for Berkshire but a sobering lesson in the perils of global operations, reminding even the Oracle that vigilance is non-negotiable.
Buffett’s Global Reach and Disciplined Creed
Warren Buffett’s investment genius touches the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) not through bold regional bets but via the far-reaching tendrils of global enterprises, reflecting his unyielding value-investing doctrine. His $5 billion stake in Goldman Sachs, which advised on Saudi Aramco’s $29.4 billion IPO in 2019, $24 billion in American Express, with offices serving Saudi Arabia’s elite, and $24 billion in Coca-Cola, with bottling plants across Egypt and the Arab nations, weave Berkshire Hathaway into MENA’s financial fabric without direct exposure. Yet, Buffett’s philosophy—forged by Benjamin Graham’s value principles and Charlie Munger’s push for “economic moats”—demands businesses with lasting advantages, low risks, and clear fundamentals, a bar MENA’s intricate markets rarely meet.
His restraint in pursuing major MENA projects, like Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion NEOM or Qatar’s $510 billion fund restructuring in 2024, stems from this disciplined creed. Speaking at Berkshire’s 2025 shareholder meeting, he emphasized seeking “businesses with enduring value, not speculative opportunities,” a stance that sidesteps volatile MENA markets. The World Bank’s 2025 forecast of 2.6% MENA growth, hampered by geopolitical tensions and oil price swings, underscores the uncertainties Buffett avoids. “I don’t need to hit home runs; I just avoid strikeouts,” he quipped in 2023, a mantra rooted in his daily ritual of devouring 500 pages of financial reports. Staying within his “circle of competence” and guided by his maxim, “We don’t invest where we don’t understand the risks,” Buffett lets global giants cast his nets while anchoring to steady shores, navigating MENA’s complex landscape from a safe distance.
Buffett’s Costly Blunders
Even a titan like Warren Buffett has tripped on ambition, his rare but stinging missteps revealing a mortal side to his investing legend. In 1993, he paid $433 million in Berkshire Hathaway stock for Dexter Shoe Co., only to watch it collapse to zero as foreign rivals outpaced it, a “disaster” that cost shareholders billions for misreading its staying power. His 2008 plunge into $2 billion of Energy Future Holdings’ junk bonds, a solo bet without Charlie Munger’s counsel, bled $873 million when the coal-heavy firm went bust, exposing his occasional overreach. Holding 415 million shares of UK grocer Tesco until 2014, despite its profit overstatement, cost $444 million after taxes, a sluggish exit that dented his “hold forever” mantra. Less known, at 21, Buffett sank $2,000—his full stake—into a Sinclair gas station, only to lose it to a Texaco rival, an early lesson in competitive edge. These blunders, born of hubris or hesitation, prove that even Buffett’s genius bends under the weight of imperfect foresight.
Gifts That Echo
Warren Buffett’s fortune, a staggering $159.7 billion, flows into a global wellspring of generosity, most vividly through The Giving Pledge, co-founded with Bill Gates in 2010 to rally billionaires to give boldly. Pledging 99% of his wealth, he has donated $56 billion since 2006 to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and family trusts, powering $2 billion in malaria vaccine research and education for millions worldwide. Less known is a 1988 episode when Buffett, ever the showman for value, offered to personally guard a $1 billion armored car shipment of Coca-Cola syrup—free of charge—to prove his faith in the company that remains a Berkshire cornerstone and funds his giving. This playful gambit, a testament to his belief in enduring businesses, underscores how his investment savvy fuels a philanthropy that tackles humanity’s greatest challenges, all while his simplicity keeps him grounded.
Curtain Falls: Buffett’s Retirement
Video: Warrnet Buffet’s announcement of retirementGreg Abel, the new successor of Berkshire Hathaway
In May 2025, Warren Buffett stepped down as Berkshire Hathaway’s CEO, a moment unveiled amid the “Woodstock for Capitalists” fervor, naming Greg Abel his successor while pledging to steer as chairman until at least 2030. This shift anchors a $1.1 trillion empire—its $174 billion Apple stake and $24 billion Coca-Cola holding a bedrock of global market—sparing the economy jolts as Abel’s value-investing fidelity mirrors Buffett’s own. His $56 billion in charitable gifts, fueling global health and education, and his disciplined ethos have inspired millions, turning shareholder meetings into a pilgrimage for wisdom-seekers. “I’ve been lucky to do what I love,” Buffett reflected in 2025, his final CEO address radiating warmth and resolve. As the investing titan passes the mantle, Berkshire’s diversified might, from railroads to insurance, ensures stability, while his legacy of integrity and foresight continues to shape a world navigating wealth’s vast currents, his influence as enduring as the principles he championed.
What lies ahead for Berkshire Hathaway sparks lively forecasts as Greg Abel takes the helm. Morningstar’s Greggory Warren predicts continuity but warns Abel’s lack of Buffett’s “cult-like” aura may soften the “Buffett premium” inflating Berkshire’s $1.1 trillion value, with a 5% stock dip already noted post-2025 announcement. CFRA’s Cathy Seifert flags challenges in deploying Berkshire’s $347.7 billion cash pile amid high valuations and Trump’s trade war tariffs, which Buffett cautioned could ripple globally. Yet, Edward Jones’ Kyle Sanders sees Abel’s “active” style chasing big acquisitions, leveraging Buffett’s counsel. Bill Gates trusts Berkshire’s “extraordinary” legacy, while Tim Cook backs Abel to steer the Apple stake deftly. Bill Ackman foresees aggressive stock buybacks, citing 2024’s $9.2 billion. Seifert notes environmental pressure on coal-heavy utilities, nudging Abel toward renewables, while GEICO’s recovery contrasts with railroad profit dips. In 2001, Buffett urged to “bet on enduring systems,” an optimism Abel inherits as Howard Buffett eyes the chairman role. The Oracle’s shadow looms, but Abel’s choices will carve Berkshire’s new dawn, balancing tradition with uncharted ventures.
Quotes:
It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it. If you think about that, you’ll do things differently.
Predicting rain doesn’t count. Building arks does.
Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a tree a long time ago.
Warren Buffett Portfolio
Rank
Company Name
Shares Held
Value (USD)
Description
1
Apple Inc.
300,000,000
$75.13B
Core holding since 2016; reduced from over 50% of portfolio in 2024.
2
American Express Co.
151,610,700
$45.00B
Long-term holding since the 1990s.
3
Bank of America Corp.
680,233,587
$29.90B
Trimmed position in Q4 2024.
4
Coca-Cola Co.
400,000,000
$24.90B
Held since 1988;iconic Buffet investment
5
Chevron Corp.
118,610,534
$17.18B
Reflects Buffett’s interest in energy sector.
6
Occidental Petroleum
265,026,328
$13.10B
Increased stake in Q4 2024.
7
Moody’s Corp.
24,669,778
$11.68B
Long-term holding since 2000.
8
Kraft Heinz Co.
325,635,818
$10.00B
Co-investment with 3G Capital; faced challenges in recent years.
9
Chubb Ltd.
27,033,784
$7.47B
Added in Q2 2024.
10
DeVita Inc.
35,892,479
$6.24B
Long-term holding; reduced stake in Q3 2020.
11
Kroger Co.
50,000,000
$3.06B
Reduced position in Q4 2022.
12
Sirius XM Holdings
119,776,692
$2.87B
Increased stake in Q4 2024.
13
Verisign Inc.
13,289,880
$2.73B
Increased stake in Q4 2024.
14
Visa Inc.
8,297,460
$2.62B
Long-term holding; managed by investment managers Todd Combs and Ted Weschler.
Warren Buffett’s ventures in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) reflect a cautious approach, with limited but strategic engagements in the UAE. In 2019, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Gulf Properties opened a Dubai office, targeting the emirate’s booming real estate market, driven by tax-free income and residency visas. Led by chairman Ihsan Al Marzouqi and CEO Phil Sheridan, the operation started with 30 advisers and plans for an Abu Dhabi branch, though its scale remains modest within Berkshire’s vast portfolio. Additionally, NetJets, Berkshire’s luxury plane unit, announced plans in 2019 to open a Dubai sales office by Q1 2020 to attract high-net-worth individuals and corporations, signaling interest in the UAE’s wealth hub.
Even the Oracle’s empire, vast as it is, can falter in the complex tapestry of global trade. Between 2012 and 2016, Iscar’s Turkish subsidiary, Iscar Kesici Takim, unwittingly entangled Berkshire in a sanctions violation by selling $383,443 in cutting tools to Turkish distributors, aware they would reach an Iranian firm linked to Tehran’s government. Senior managers, hopeful for a sanctions thaw, obscured the transactions with falsified invoices and private emails, bypassing oversight from Omaha. When a 2016 whistleblower exposed the breach, Buffett swiftly self-reported to U.S. authorities, leading to a $4.1 million settlement in August 2020—a minor sting for Berkshire but a sobering lesson in the perils of global operations, reminding even the Oracle that vigilance is non-negotiable.
Warren Buffett’s investment genius touches the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) not through bold regional bets but via the far-reaching tendrils of global enterprises, reflecting his unyielding value-investing doctrine. His $5 billion stake in Goldman Sachs, which advised on Saudi Aramco’s $29.4 billion IPO in 2019, $24 billion in American Express, with offices serving Saudi Arabia’s elite, and $24 billion in Coca-Cola, with bottling plants across Egypt and the Arab nations, weave Berkshire Hathaway into MENA’s financial fabric without direct exposure. Yet, Buffett’s philosophy—forged by Benjamin Graham’s value principles and Charlie Munger’s push for “economic moats”—demands businesses with lasting advantages, low risks, and clear fundamentals, a bar MENA’s intricate markets rarely meet.
His restraint in pursuing major MENA projects, like Saudi Arabia’s $500 billion NEOM or Qatar’s $510 billion fund restructuring in 2024, stems from this disciplined creed. Speaking at Berkshire’s 2025 shareholder meeting, he emphasized seeking “businesses with enduring value, not speculative opportunities,” a stance that sidesteps volatile MENA markets. The World Bank’s 2025 forecast of 2.6% MENA growth, hampered by geopolitical tensions and oil price swings, underscores the uncertainties Buffett avoids. “I don’t need to hit home runs; I just avoid strikeouts,” he quipped in 2023, a mantra rooted in his daily ritual of devouring 500 pages of financial reports. Staying within his “circle of competence” and guided by his maxim, “We don’t invest where we don’t understand the risks,” Buffett lets global giants cast his nets while anchoring to steady shores, navigating MENA’s complex landscape from a safe distance.
Even a titan like Warren Buffett has tripped on ambition, his rare but stinging missteps revealing a mortal side to his investing legend. In 1993, he paid $433 million in Berkshire Hathaway stock for Dexter Shoe Co., only to watch it collapse to zero as foreign rivals outpaced it, a “disaster” that cost shareholders billions for misreading its staying power. His 2008 plunge into $2 billion of Energy Future Holdings’ junk bonds, a solo bet without Charlie Munger’s counsel, bled $873 million when the coal-heavy firm went bust, exposing his occasional overreach. Holding 415 million shares of UK grocer Tesco until 2014, despite its profit overstatement, cost $444 million after taxes, a sluggish exit that dented his “hold forever” mantra. Less known, at 21, Buffett sank $2,000—his full stake—into a Sinclair gas station, only to lose it to a Texaco rival, an early lesson in competitive edge. These blunders, born of hubris or hesitation, prove that even Buffett’s genius bends under the weight of imperfect foresight.
Warren Buffett’s fortune, a staggering $159.7 billion, flows into a global wellspring of generosity, most vividly through The Giving Pledge, co-founded with Bill Gates in 2010 to rally billionaires to give boldly. Pledging 99% of his wealth, he has donated $56 billion since 2006 to the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and family trusts, powering $2 billion in malaria vaccine research and education for millions worldwide. Less known is a 1988 episode when Buffett, ever the showman for value, offered to personally guard a $1 billion armored car shipment of Coca-Cola syrup—free of charge—to prove his faith in the company that remains a Berkshire cornerstone and funds his giving. This playful gambit, a testament to his belief in enduring businesses, underscores how his investment savvy fuels a philanthropy that tackles humanity’s greatest challenges, all while his simplicity keeps him grounded.
What lies ahead for Berkshire Hathaway sparks lively forecasts as Greg Abel takes the helm. Morningstar’s Greggory Warren predicts continuity but warns Abel’s lack of Buffett’s “cult-like” aura may soften the “Buffett premium” inflating Berkshire’s $1.1 trillion value, with a 5% stock dip already noted post-2025 announcement. CFRA’s Cathy Seifert flags challenges in deploying Berkshire’s $347.7 billion cash pile amid high valuations and Trump’s trade war tariffs, which Buffett cautioned could ripple globally. Yet, Edward Jones’ Kyle Sanders sees Abel’s “active” style chasing big acquisitions, leveraging Buffett’s counsel. Bill Gates trusts Berkshire’s “extraordinary” legacy, while Tim Cook backs Abel to steer the Apple stake deftly. Bill Ackman foresees aggressive stock buybacks, citing 2024’s $9.2 billion. Seifert notes environmental pressure on coal-heavy utilities, nudging Abel toward renewables, while GEICO’s recovery contrasts with railroad profit dips. In 2001, Buffett urged to “bet on enduring systems,” an optimism Abel inherits as Howard Buffett eyes the chairman role. The Oracle’s shadow looms, but Abel’s choices will carve Berkshire’s new dawn, balancing tradition with uncharted ventures.
Quotes:
