Until today, few people will have heard of Todd Combs. A rummage through old newspaper clippings sheds little light on the 39-year-old who has agreed to take up a new post that will soon make him a household name in the world of finance.

The little-known hedge fund manager has been plucked from relative obscurity to manage a "significant portion" of Berkshire Hathaway by legendary investor Warren Buffett.