George Soros named 'Person of the Year' by the Financial Times

The paper described Ms Soros as the “standard bearer of liberal democracy and open society. These are the ideas which triumphed in the Cold War.

“Today, they are under siege from all sides, from Vladimir Putin’s Russia to Donald Trump’s America.”

It praised Mr Soros for using “philanthropy to battle against authoritarianism, racism and intolerance. Through his long commitment to openness, media freedom and human rights, he has attracted the wrath of authoritarian regimes and, increasingly, the national populists who continue to gain ground, particularly in Europe.”

Speaking to the newspaper, Mr Soros, who has also made a donation to the anti-Brexit group Best for Britain, said: “I’m blamed for everything, including being the anti-Christ.

“I wish I didn’t have so many enemies, but I take it as an indication that I must be doing something right.”

The paper also noted the volume of “antisemitic conspiracy theories targeting Mr Soros”, adding: “that it is difficult to keep count. Hardly a day goes by without a statement, a tweet or an image depicting him as a master manipulator of global politics.”