Speculating About Li Lu's Berkshire Potential

In recent weeks, there has been some speculation that Li Lu may be a potential candidate for Chief Investment Officer at Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) once Warren Buffett retires. Berkshire Hathaway’s succession plans call for Warren Buffett’s job to be split into two roles. The new CEO will have ultimate responsibility for Berkshire Hathaway and one or more investment officers will have oversight responsibility for investment operations and will report to the CEO.

Who is Li Lu? According to his Wikipedia entry, Li Lu was an organizer of the student protest movement in China and took part in the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989. After the post-Tiananmen crackdown, Mr. Lu had to flee mainland China and moved to the United States where he became one of the first students in the history of Columbia University to complete three degrees simultaneously: a B.A. in Economics, a J.D. from Columbia Law School, and a M.B.A. from Columbia Business School. Mr. Lu founded Himalaya Capital in 1997 and ran the fund until 2004. In 2004, he founded a long only investment vehicle named LL Investment Partners.