Xero chief executive Sukhinder Singh Cassidy has publicly addressed allegations made against former Xero boss Sir Rod Drury, stating the company does not tolerate workplace sexual harassment or misconduct.
The comments come after a Stuff investigation detailed allegations from three women, including two former Xero employees and Drury’s former private chef, who claimed they experienced unwanted physical contact from Drury while he was their employer.
On Friday, Drury returned his New Zealander of the Year award, saying although he completely rejected the allegations, he did not want “the current situation to undermine the integrity of the awards”.
In a statement released Monday, Singh Cassidy, who became CEO of Xero in 2023, said she joined the company because she wanted “to be part of a company that strives for the highest standards for all our customers, employees and stakeholders,” as quoted by Stuff.
“Our expectations of our people make it clear we do not tolerate sexual harassment or misconduct in the workplace, and we have clear policies to handle any such allegations,” she said.
“Importantly and personally, I have deep empathy for anyone who has ever experienced this type of harassment,” Stuff has quoted.
Singh Cassidy also addressed concerns surrounding how Xero handled earlier complaints involving Drury.
“This is why we appointed external counsel, Maria Dew KC, to conduct a review of our handling of the 2017 complaint and be available to talk to anyone who would like to share information relevant to the review. It is the seriousness of the allegations that informed our approach to this matter,” as quoted by Stuff.
The statement follows claims made by former Xero IT project coordinator Ally Naylor, who told Stuff she lodged a complaint through the company’s internal whistleblower system in 2017. Naylor alleged Drury behaved inappropriately toward her on multiple occasions, including kissing her and touching underneath her breasts.
An investigation followed her complaint, though the findings have not been publicly released.
Drury said his relationship with Naylor was “consensual and mutual”, which Naylor disputes. She has since made a complaint to police.
Another former employee, identified as Amy*, alleged Drury invited her to his apartment for a meeting regarding a potential job opportunity before initiating physical contact.
“And then he just grabbed me and kissed me up against the wall. And I was like, ‘Hey, you’re married. You can’t do this’,” as quoted by Stuff.
Drury did not specifically respond to Amy’s allegations, but maintained that any relationships he had were consensual.
Singh Cassidy said the company was committed to improving its workplace processes through the independent review being led by Maria Dew KC.
“This is part of our commitment to creating the safest possible environment for our employees going forward,” she said, Stuff has quoted.
The allegations against Drury expanded further last week when his former chef, Megan Ruddle, alleged he repeatedly greeted her by kissing her on the lips during the nearly three years she worked for him.
Drury described Ruddle’s allegations as “unfounded” and claimed they were part of a “sustained media campaign,” Stuff has quoted.
Ruddle has also filed a complaint with police, while Drury said he would also be contacting police regarding the allegations.