Who was fired after exposing accounting irregularities at Olympus in 2011?

Michael Woodford was fired after exposing accounting irregularities at Olympus in 2011.

Woodford, a British executive who had worked at Olympus for decades, became the company’s first non-Japanese president and chief executive in October 2011. Soon afterward, he questioned unusually large advisory payments connected with acquisitions, including the purchase of British medical equipment maker Gyrus.

Woodford received information suggesting that Olympus had used complex transactions to hide investment losses dating back to the 1990s. He raised the issue with the company’s board and sought an independent investigation. The board removed him as chief executive on 14 October 2011, only weeks after his promotion.

Subsequent investigations revealed a long-running scheme to conceal losses, and several former Olympus executives were prosecuted. The scandal led to major scrutiny of corporate governance in Japan. Olympus continued operating and later paid penalties, while Woodford became a prominent whistleblower and wrote about the episode in his memoir.