Founder of $14b tech firm denies sexual misconduct, but returns ‘NZer of the Year’ award
The co-founder of a $14 billion ASX-listed tech company who denied allegations of unwanted sexual advances from three former female employees has agreed to hand back his New Zealander of the Year title.
Sir Rod Drury, who ran business accounting software platform
Allegations reported by New Zealand outlet Thing, It was revealed that a former employee had accused Drury of making an internal complaint when he left the company in 2017, prompting Xero to launch a review into the company’s handling of the matter.
“In relation to the historic events and confidential personnel matters of 2017, Xero’s current board and leadership are committed to fully understanding and assessing the events and Xero’s response with expert assistance,” a Xero spokesman said in a statement on Sunday.
The spokesperson said Xero was “committed to providing a safe, inclusive and respectful environment for all our employees” and that “we take all allegations of inappropriate behavior seriously”.
“We appreciate the challenge of coming forward with information of this nature and are providing different ways for people to speak up and for concerns to be addressed confidentially and with due care,” the spokesperson said.
Xero, valued at $14.25 billion, was founded by Drury in Wellington, New Zealand, in 2006 and went public on the ASX in 2012. He stepped down as chief executive in 2018 and is no longer on the board of the company, which has offices in several countries, including Australia. Drury received his New Zealand knighthood at the 2026 New Year ceremony.
The New Zealander of the Year Awards Office said: Thing On Friday, he announced that he had discussed the reward with the businessman, who agreed to return it.
“The New Zealander of the Year Awards exist to celebrate those whose contributions strengthen Aotearoa New Zealand and reflect the values of leadership, service, integrity and respect for others,” the office said in a statement.
“Any issues that undermine or question these values are inconsistent with the standards and expectations we have set for the awards programme,” he said, adding that the New Zealander of the Year Award would not be awarded again this year.
Drury confirmed he would return the award but denied the allegations in a statement. “While I completely deny the latest allegations against me, I do not want the current situation to undermine the integrity of the awards or put further pressure on a major organization before the relevant investigations and necessary processes are completed.” Thing.
Ally Naylor, a former employee, claimed Drury invited her to dinner at his apartment near his offices in the mid-2010s and asked to kiss her.
“Then I left, got in the elevator and said, ‘What happened? What happened?’ I said. he said Thing. He said similar behavior occurred about five other times. Naylor filed the complaint on her last day at the company in 2017.
The other former Xero employee, who has not been identified except by name, claimed Drury initiated physical contact and tried to kiss her after inviting her to his home to discuss a job opportunity.
Drury said he had a mutual “limited, consensual relationship” with Naylor and was part of a “two-year friendship” in which Naylor was also a “willing participant.” “All other relationships I had during that period were consensual and mutual,” he said.
Another woman, Megan Ruddle, whom Drury employed as a personal chef on his luxury catamaran and later at a property in Queenstown, claimed he repeatedly kissed her on the lips as he greeted her. In 2025, he finished working for her and talked to her. Thing Despite signing a non-disclosure agreement as part of a secret settlement after she accused him of unfair dismissal and sexual harassment.
Drury acknowledged a settlement was reached with Ruddle but said he was dismissed for unspecified conduct. He said the settlement would cover employment processes that were not properly followed and denied Ruddle’s allegations, saying he had documents and witnesses to support his version of events.
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Elias Visontay is the National Consumer Affairs Reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age.Connect via email.
