Abel was named vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway in 2018. Although he has been at the company for more than two decades, he is considered to be much more guarded and hands-on than Buffett.

He described his Edmonton neighborhood in Alberta, Canada, as working-class and family-oriented. He lives in Iowa with his family.

When Warren Buffett announced at his annual shareholder meeting Saturday that he is stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway at the end of the year, he elevated a low-key 62-year-old Canadian executive named Greg Abel who has long been one of his top lieutenants.