BOOKS & MANUALS

Exposure: Inside the Olympus Scandal: How I Went from CEO to Whistleblower

By Michael Woodford

Cover of the book Exposure: Inside the Olympus Scandal
Exposure: Inside the Olympus Scandal: How I Went from CEO to Whistleblower

Description

When Michael Woodford was made president of Olympus — the company to which he had dedi­cated thirty years of his career — he became the first Westerner ever to climb the ranks of one of Japan’s corporate giants. Some wondered at the appointment — how could a gaijin (foreigner) who didn’t even speak Japanese understand how to run a Japanese company? But within months Wood­ford had gained the confidence of most of his colleagues and shareholders. Unfortunately, soon after, his dream job turned into a nightmare. 

The trouble began when Woodford learned about a series of bizarre mergers and acquisitions deals totaling $1.7 billion — a scandal that threatened to bring down the entire company if exposed. He turned to his fellow executives — including the chairman who had promoted him, Tsuyoshi Kikukawa — for answers. But instead of being heralded as a hero for trying to save the company, Woodford was met with vague responses and hostility — a clear sign of a cover up. Undeterred, he demanded to be made CEO so he could have more leverage with his board and continue to search for the truth. Then, just weeks after being granted the top title, he was fired in a boardroom coup that shocked Japan and the business world at large. Worried his for­mer bosses might try to silence him, Woodford immediately fled the country in fear of his life and went straight to the press — making him the first CEO of a global multinational corporation to blow the whistle on his own company. 

Following his dismissal, Woodford faced months of agonizing pressure that at times threatened his health and his family life. But instead of suc­cumbing he persisted, and eventually the men who had ousted him were held to account. Now, Woodford recounts his almost unbelievable true story — from the email that first alerted him to the scandal, to the terrifying rumors of involve­ment with the Japanese mafia, to the stream of fruitless denials that continued to emanate from Olympus in an effort to cover up the scandal. He also paints a devastating portrait of corporate Japan, an insular, hierarchy-driven culture that prefers maintaining the status quo to exposing ugly truths. 

The result is a deeply personal memoir that reads like a thriller narrative. As Woodford puts it, “I thought I was going to run a health care and consumer electronics company, but found I had walked into a John Grisham novel.” 

Product Details

Label Value
ISBN 978-1-59184-575-1
Publisher Portfolio Penguin
Published Copyright 2012
Pages 258
Format Hardcover

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Rumours and Revelations
Chapter 2 'Who do you work for?'
Chapter 3 Antisocial Forces
Chapter 4 Showdown
Chapter 5 Escape
Chapter 6 Homecoming
Chapter 7 The Three Musketeers
Chapter 8 The Big Apple
Chapter 9 Return
Chapter 10 Rotten to the Core
Chapter 11 Winning the Argument, Losing the War
Chapter 12 Rising Suns Also Set
Chapter 13 Sayonara to All That

Ordering and Returns

Satisfaction Guarantee

If you are not 100% satisfied with any ACFE product, you may return it to us, provided it is in excellent condition, for a full refund of the item minus the cost of shipping. Toolkits and bundles may only be returned as a complete set.

Ordering & Returns Policy