Michael Withers
Mendoza College of Business
Professor of Management and Organization
- CEO succession
- Corporate governance and boards
- Executive leadership and turnover
- Corporate strategy and implementation
Withers in the News
Associated Press
Warren Buffett steps down as Berkshire Hathaway chairman, a post he has held since 1970
September 18, 2026
Michael Withers, professor of management at the University of Notre Dame’s Mendoza College of Business, said Buffett took a deliberate approach to Berkshire Hathaway’s succession plans and has carried out the transition step by step. “Buffett seems to have understood that succeeding him wasn’t just about finding another extraordinary leader,” he said. “It was about building a structure that could preserve what makes Berkshire different long after he has stepped away. The test moving forward will be whether Abel and Howard can honor that legacy while still giving Berkshire room to adapt to a market that looks very different from the one Buffett mastered.”
Reuters
Berkshire Hathaway looks to keep culture intact as Howard Buffett ascends
September 18, 2026
"This one is really about continuity," said Michael Withers, a management professor at the University of Notre Dame's business school. "The test moving forward will be whether Abel and Howard can honor [Warren Buffett's] legacy while still giving Berkshire room to adapt to a market that looks very different from the one Buffett mastered."