The boss of Dyson and his wife pocketed a £17 million bonus last year after shifting production of the firm’s distinctive vacuum cleaners overseas, the company confirmed.
Sir James and Deirdre Dyson paid themselves the dividends in 2003 – more than three times the £4.89 million they received the year before, after controversially moving manufacturing to Malaysia in 2002 and axeing 500 jobs in the UK. Mr Dyson and his family own 100% of the firm, which has achieved more than 400% growth in 2004 so far.