Mention the name Warren Buffett and everyone knows he's one of the richest men in the world and the successful billionaire investor behind Berkshire Hathaway. But say Charlie Munger and most people look confused. Charlie who?

Charlie Munger has been Warren Buffett's business partner for 50 years. He's also a powerful figure at Berkshire Hathaway where he is Vice Chairman. He's 85; Buffet is 78.

The reason most people don't know much about Munger is because he shies away from the spotlight, unlike Buffett, who craves it. But at Berkshire annual meetings he shines. On the dais, sitting next to Buffett he gives his views on the markets, the economy and life, as he responds to shareholder questions. He acts like Buffett's sidekick and takes a lot of ribbing from the Oracle of Omaha. But he holds his own and is quick-witted, smart and funny. I've always wanted to interview Munger. Today I did.

So who is Charlie Munger? He grew up in Omaha, just like Buffett. They both attended Central High School, but didn't know each other back then. Munger went on to the University of Michigan and then Harvard Law School where he was a summa cum laude graduate.

It wasn't until 1959 when mutual friends introduced the two men. Buffett was instantly impressed and it was the beginning of a lifelong professional and personal connection. Buffett told me recently that Munger has the "fastest mind in seeing the essence of a question." He considers Munger his "mental partner" not his financial partner. And Munger feels much the same way: "I like the way Warren handles problems in life. Knowing Warren has been a very happy experience for me. We've carefully arranged our lives that we're associating daily and weekly with some of the most admirable people on earth. So you're talking about two of the most favorite lives that ever happened. We've lucked into perfection for us."

Buffett and Munger may be perfect for each other, but they have very different styles. Buffett is out-going and talkative. Munger, less so. My interactions with Buffett have been lively and fast-paced; with Munger the conversation is languorous, and concise. As Munger described it to me after our interview, "I live in obscurity 363 days a year and the other two or three I'm like a rock star. I like the obscurity better than the rock star stuff. But I can handle it for two or three days." He says the "crazy annual meetings" are "fun," but he wouldn't want to do it more than once a year.

But while Buffett grabs the headlines, it's Munger who many people credit for Berkshire's amazing success. They say many years ago, Munger had a big influence in changing Buffett's investment approach. He shoved him in the direction of buying businesses that were more than just bargains. Over the years Munger convinced Buffett of the importance of buying high-quality businesses even if you have to pay a little more. One of the first examples of that was the 1972 purchase of See's Candies, the San Francisco chocolate company. They paid a hefty $25 million, but it's turned out to be one of Berkshire's biggest money-makers. More recently, Munger talked Buffett into investing in an obscure Chinese electric car company: BYD. Buffett paid $230 million in 2008 for a 10 percent stake after Munger convinced him the company has a shot at becoming one of the world's largest automakers.

So what will Berkshire be like after Munger and Buffett are gone? Munger played down the iconic status of Warren Buffett and himself. He told me that there's "so much talent and integrity in the subsidiaries" that Berkshire could "run practically with nobody at headquarters." Really? "Yes, that's what I'm saying." And he wasn't kidding.