Based in Tokyo, Olympus was founded a century ago as a microscope manufacturer. Today, the global company’s 35,000-plus employees develop solutions for the medical, life sciences and industrial equipment industries, as well as create cameras and audio products — a business it currently intends to divest. ‘‘Our transformation started in April of 2019,’’ explains Olympus Global Chief Internal Audit Officer Richard Lebitz, ‘‘We began by truly understanding how each region’s internal audit function was currently cooperating.’’

In this profile, Lebitz summarizes his internal audit team’s five-year transformation plan built around people and technology.