Ex‑Xero staffer Ally Naylor glad to see Sir Rod Drury return NZer of the Year Award

"Elation" and "validation" are the words Ally Naylor uses to describe her reaction to hearing Xero founder Sir Rod Drury had returned his 2026 New Zealander of the Year award, following claims of misconduct against former staff.

Naylor has alleged misconduct, when the former Xero staffer was a junior employee, and that she first complained to Xero about that conduct in 2017 in her final days with the company.

This year, Drury received a knighthood in the 2026 New Years Honours for services to business, the technology industry and philanthropy, then just months later was made New Zealander of the Year.

Naylor went public with her allegations then.

In response, Drury labelled his relationship with Naylor as a "limited, consensual relationship".

Other women have also since stepped forward with misconduct complaints.

On Friday, the New Zealander of the Year Awards office confirmed that Drury had returned the award.

"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," a statement said.

"Any matter that undermines or calls into question those values is not consistent with the standards and expectations we hold for the awards programme."

Naylor said hearing Drury had handed back the award was a "full circle" moment.

"I think there's just so many more deserving New Zealanders and he doesn't represent the best of New Zealand."

The 2026 New Zealander of the Year Award would not be re-awarded.

Meanwhile last month, Xero said it had launched a review into its handling of the allegations at the time.

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