Board of Directors
Sam Knowles Non-Executive Chairman
Sam has had a 25 year career in management and financial services, holding senior positions for major banks in both Australia and New Zealand. He has extensive experience in strategy, marketing, organisational capability building, and private and public sector governance.
Sam is perhaps best known for his role in establishing Kiwibank and subsequently leading the company over 9 years through its transition from a start-up to an established full service banking business with over 700,000 customers, more than a 1000 employees and over $22B under management (combined loans and deposits).
Sam holds a number of governance roles in growth businesses with a technology focus. These roles include Chairman of Localist Ltd, Chairman of Unlimited Realities Ltd, a director of Trustpower Ltd, a director of Magritek Ltd, a director of Rangatira Ltd and Chair of the New Zealand Governments ICT Council. Sam is a member of the Institute of Directors and serves on a number of not for profit organisations.
Rod Drury Chief Executive / Executive Director
One of New Zealand's leading technology entrepreneurs, Rod is a member of the New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame, NZ Hi-Tech Entrepreneur of the Year in 2006 and 2007, World Class New Zealander for ICT in 2008 and an Honorary Fellow of the NZ Computer Society.
Rod is a Director of the New Zealand Stock Exchange and is a member of Victoria University of Wellington Faculty of Commerce Advisory Board.
Rod is a founder and Director of Pacific Fibre, a new international fibre cable project connecting Australia and NZ to the USA.
Sam Morgan Non-Executive Director
Sam started his career at Deloitte Consulting and is best known for founding online auction website Trade Me which, in 2006, sold for $750 million. Sam also built a successful online dating and friend reuniting businesses in New Zealand, Australia and Canada.
Sam is an active investor and philanthropist. Sam's holdings include a number of other successful web businesses including Visfleet and Sonar6.
Phil Norman Non-Executive Director
Phil is Managing Director of Nortek Management Services Limited, a boutique business advisory firm providing mergers and acquisitions advice and business development services for growth companies. He has over 30 years experience in the ICT sector, having been an owner, manager, director and investor in a number of local and international companies.
These roles have included the establishment, growth and successful exit of an accounting software company, Interactive Applications Limited, which at the time the business sold was the market leader in New Zealand and Australia; the establishment of the first New Zealand distributorship for Microsoft and then, subsequently, a sales and marketing management position in the start-up team for Microsoft New Zealand; a two year assignment for Telecom New Zealand during which Phil was responsible for the conception and rollout of Xtra, Telecom’s Internet Service Provider; and a five year term as Executive Chairman of Strathmore Group Limited, an NZX-listed technology investment company.
Phil also has considerable venture capital and investment banking experience. He was Chairman of the New Zealand Venture Capital Association during 2002 and 2003 and was for six years a member of New Zealand Trade & Enterprise's Beachheads Advisory Board, resigning in June 2010.
Phil is a member of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand, the New Zealand Institute of Management and the New Zealand Computer Society.
Graham Shaw Non-Executive Director
Graham is a chartered accountant with 30 years experience in business. He provides commercial advisory services to SMEs, mentoring advice to senior executives and sits on a number of corporate and not-for-profit advisory boards.
Graham spent 10 years with KPMG advising small and medium sized enterprises. He then joined Works Infrastructure where he held a number of finance roles before being appointed Chief Executive, leading the organisation to substantial growth and successful expansion into Australia. Graham has also been CEO of Kensington Swan, one of New Zealand’s national law firms.
Graham is a Fellow of the New Zealand Institute of Management, an accredited management mentor and a Companion of the Institution of Professional Engineers of New Zealand.
Craig Winkler Non-Executive Director
Craig co-founded Australian small business accounting software provider MYOB in 1991.
Craig went on to build up a team around him that made MYOB a popular business tool and brand in Asia, New Zealand, the US, the UK and Ireland.
In 2004, MYOB merged with Solution 6 to become Australia’s largest IT company with more than 1,000 staff globally. Craig resigned as Director and Chief Innovation Executive at MYOB in 2009.
Craig joined the Xero Board of Directors in May 2009. We welcome Craig’s enthusiasm, experience and expertise in small business accounting.