Former Olympus CEO Michael Woodford, who blew the whistle on dubious deals at the centre of a massive corporate scandal, has won a businessperson of the year award.

Woodford was today named Businessperson of the Year by the Independent newspaper ‘in recognition of his fightback after he was sacked for blowing the whistle on the company’s dirty secret’.

In an article headlined ‘Unbowed Despite The Death Threats’ the newspaper paid tribute to the Briton’s ‘courage and spirited fightback’, as he faced ‘threat of attacks by potential assassins’.

Woodford (pictured), who is now campaigning to be reinstated as Olympus CEO, gave a lengthy interview to Amateur Photographer (AP) last month.

At the time Woodford was receiving police protection and he advised AP not to reveal the location of the interview, which followed rumours that the scandal may be linked to Japan’s criminal underworld.

To read the full Independent article click HERE.

To read AP’s interview with Woodford click HERE.

[Picture: C Cheesman]