A former employee of Sir Rod Drury, the billionaire founder of cloud accounting software company Xero, has publicly alleged that he kissed her over 50 times, despite signing a confidential settlement agreement. The allegations were reported by the New Zealand Herald on May 6, 2026.
The woman, whose identity remains protected, claimed the incidents occurred over a period of time while she worked at Xero. She stated that the kisses were unwanted and made her feel uncomfortable. The confidential settlement was reached in 2023, but she has now chosen to speak out, citing a desire to highlight workplace misconduct.
Sir Rod Drury, who stepped down as CEO of Xero in 2018 but remains a major shareholder, has not publicly commented on the specific allegations. His lawyer, however, denied the claims, stating that any physical contact was consensual and that the settlement was not an admission of guilt.
Xero, based in Wellington, New Zealand, has not issued a statement regarding the allegations. The case has sparked renewed debate about the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) in sexual misconduct cases.
