In October 2011, Olympus Corporation, a multi-billion dollar Japanese optical company, dismissed its
president and CEO, British-born Michael Woodford, over cultural differences in management style.
Japanese media dutifully reported the dismissal with minimum coverage, another foreign CEO failing
to adapt to the Japanese way. But international media reported a brewing scandal where Japanese
board members of the company unanimously voted to dismiss Woodford for blowing the whistle on a 1.7
billion dollar fraud that the 93-year-old Japanese company had kept secret for more than two
decades. Film-maker Hyoe Yamamoto unravels the events that led to one of the most mystifying
corporate scandals in the world.
president and CEO, British-born Michael Woodford, over cultural differences in management style.
Japanese media dutifully reported the dismissal with minimum coverage, another foreign CEO failing
to adapt to the Japanese way. But international media reported a brewing scandal where Japanese
board members of the company unanimously voted to dismiss Woodford for blowing the whistle on a 1.7
billion dollar fraud that the 93-year-old Japanese company had kept secret for more than two
decades. Film-maker Hyoe Yamamoto unravels the events that led to one of the most mystifying
corporate scandals in the world.
