New Zealander of the Year Sir Rod Drury Rejects Sexual Misconduct Allegations, Citing Consensual Relationship

Sir Rod Drury labels allegations by Ally Naylor as a "consensual relationship." Naylor stands by misconduct claims as police and independent reviews begin.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 21, 2026, 3:16 PM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Stuff

A Public Denial from a National Figure

Sir Rod Drury, the tech entrepreneur recently honored as New Zealander of the Year, has broken his silence regarding allegations of past sexual misconduct. In a statement released Tuesday evening, Drury explicitly rejected claims that he engaged in unwanted sexual contact with a former IT project coordinator at Xero. Drury stated that the reporting on the matter has "mischaracterized" a friendship that existed a decade ago, which he maintains was entirely mutual and consensual.

Conflicting Accounts of the Xero Investigation

The controversy stems from a 2017 internal investigation at Xero, triggered by a formal complaint from Ally Naylor. While the results of that initial probe were never made public, Drury noted that the 2017 process was the first time he became aware that Naylor viewed their relationship as anything other than consensual. He emphasized that he remained on the company's board for several years following the investigation and considered the matter closed until it was brought back into the public eye following his recent national award.

The Complainant Stands by Her Allegations

In response to Drury’s characterization of their history, Ally Naylor has reaffirmed her original account of inappropriate and unwanted sexual contact. Naylor argued that a junior employee does not lightly file a formal complaint against a high-profile CEO due to the immense professional and personal risks involved. She highlighted that a formal record of the 2017 process exists and expressed her commitment to the ongoing investigations by both the police and an independent reviewer.