Warren Buffett donates $4.1bn more to charity

US Tycoon Warren Buffett has donated another $4.1bn (£2.9bn) worth of Berkshire Hathaway shares to charity Regarded as the world's most successful investor_ the Berkshire Hathaway chairman has given away huge sums of his wealth to charity.

In a statement_ he wrote: "Society has a use for my money; I don't. Mr Buffett also announced his resignation as a trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

The donation takes him half-way to meeting a 2006 pledge to give all of his Berkshire Hathaway shares to five organisations_ including the Gates Foundation. Mr Buffett has 238_624 Berkshire shares remaining.

He wrote on Wednesday: "Over many decades I have accumulated an almost incomprehensible sum simply by doing what I love to do. I've made no sacrifice nor has my family.

"Compound interest_ a long runway_ wonderful associates and our incredible country have simply worked their magic. Society has a use for my money; I don't."

Mr Buffett joined the exclusive $100bn (£72bn) club that includes Elon Musk_ Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates in March_ after Berkshire Hathaway saw its shares rise to record levels in 2021.

He is a co-founder of the Giving Pledge_ along with Bill and Melinda Gates_ which is a campaign that encourages billionaire philanthropy.

Mackenzie Scott_ ex-wife of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos_ has also signed up to the pledge and recently announced she had donated another $2.7bn to a wide range of charities.

Although Mr Buffett said the remarks made on Wednesday were "no swansong"_ he also announced his resignation from the position of trustee of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

He said he had already stepped down from all other corporate boards_ other than that of Berkshire Hathaway.

"My physical participation is in no way needed" for the foundation to achieve its goals_ Mr Buffett wrote.

It comes after question marks were raised over the future of the organisation after Bill and Melinda Gates announced their divorce in May.

The billionaire couple run the charitable foundation_ which has worked on initiatives such as fighting infectious diseases and encouraging vaccinations for children.

A spokesman for the foundation previously said they would remain co-chairs and trustees.

Mr Buffett also praised incoming chief executive_ Mark Suzman_ on Wednesday_ describing him as an "outstanding" candidate.

"My goals are 100% in sync with those of the foundation"_ he added.