'I may be one of the 10 luckiest in the world'
Billionaire investor Warren Buffett attributes his immense success to luck and the circumstances of his birth, which he calls the 'ovarian lottery.' He plans to donate nearly all of his wealth to philanthropy, including the Gates Foundation, by 2034.
Why it matters
Buffett's public reflection on wealth inequality and his commitment to massive philanthropy influences global discussions on corporate responsibility and the ethics of extreme wealth.
Warren Buffett says luck has been a key factor in the success that's made him one of the wealthiest people in the world, and it's inspired the billionaire investor to give away most of that wealth.
"The perspective I have is that, out of 8 billion people, I may be one of the 10 luckiest in the world," Buffett said in an interview with CNBC's Becky Quick that aired Wednesday on "Squawk Box."
Buffett has often credited his success, in part, to the good fortune he's experienced throughout his life, particularly at the start. The Berkshire Hathaway chairman — whose net worth is estimated at $147 billion by Bloomberg, as of Wednesday afternoon — said at Berkshire's 1997 shareholders meeting that he'd won the "ovarian lottery" simply by being born in America and having relatively good health, both matters of chance.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in