George Arbuthnott is the winner of the inaugural Sunday Times’ Marie Colvin scholarship, beating more than 400 other candidates from around the world to win the prestigious scholarship. Here he talks about following in Marie’s footsteps and his exclusive story about the exploitation of Vietnamese migrant workers in Britain.

How much of a journalistic break for your career was winning the Marie Colvin scholarship?

It’s been a great break. I was a news reporter for three years before the scholarship came up. I had learnt a great deal there and been given the chance to investigate stories around the world, but the opportunity at the Sunday Times was one I couldn’t pass up.

Since moving here, I’ve worked with some of the finest foreign correspondents in the world, had the opportunity to write a long-form piece for the first time in the magazine and been allowed to focus on the public interest stories I am really passionate about. Of course winning something in Marie Colvin’s name also means people often talk to you who wouldn’t have dreamed of doing so before!

What does it mean to you to be following in the footsteps of such iconic Sunday Times foreign correspondents like Marie Colvin and Hala Jaber?

Marie’s work inspired me to enter journalism in the first place so the award is obviously a massive honour. The prospect of trying to produce the kind of work with which she might have proud is mighty daunting, but her scholarship does provide great motivation.

Earlier this year, I worked with Hala Jaber on a story about antiquities being looted in the Syrian war. Seeing how she operated undercover in Beirut, posing as an illicit buyer, was a real masterclass. She has continued to give me support and encouragement and maybe one day I might get a chance to put what I learnt into practice. Though bright red hair might be a bit of a give away over there.

How did you discover your exclusive story about the exploitation of Vietnamese migrant workers in Britain?

About a year and a half ago, I was sent to the Salvation Army offices to try to get an interview with the first recorded person to be trafficked to Britain to have their organs harvested. The victim was understandably (to say the least) traumatised so I had no joy but one of the support workers mentioned they suspected Vietnamese trafficking victims were being forced to work in British nail bars. It dawned on me this could be a strong story because it would represent one of the few occasions where our readers would come into direct contact with modern-day slaves. So I started digging and then, when I arrived at the Sunday Times, I pitched what I’d found to Sarah Baxter, the magazine editor, who kindly gave me the time and encouragement to develop it.

What has been your most rewarding foreign assignment to date?

The best trip I have been on so far was spending two weeks in Lagos investigating the new Archbishop of Canterbury’s former oil career and the suspect finances of a Nigerian evangelical church rapidly growing in popularity in Britain. Meeting some of the local journalists there who had sacrificed a great deal, including years of imprisonment, to expose political corruption was very inspiring.