Deterring corporate corruption
Former Siemens Hellas CEO Michalis Christoforakos was well-educated and a successful manager who was sent to Athens in order to purge the Siemens subsidiary from allegations of widespread bribery and corruption within the company. As time went by, however, it seems that he realized that his future success in the world of business relied exclusively on putting the right politicians and party cadres in his pocket and keeping the corruption machine well oiled. And this is the path he decided to follow. Christoforakos is the chief witness in the probe into the Siemens scandal in Greece and his testimony is crucial because it will shed some light on the goings-on behind the scenes of Greece’s political world, on the graft and interests that are holding the country hostage. The evidence held by the witness needs to be examined thoroughly and verified, no matter how painful a process this may be in the current political climate. Otherwise, there will be nothing to stop many more successful managers and businessmen in the fields of procurements and public works from continuing to practice the deceptive art of bribery.
