Meet the Xero Board, executive and regional leaders
Meet Xero's Board, executive and regional leadership teams. Find out about their roles, background and experience.
Board of directors
David Thodey AO
CHAIR OF THE BOARD
Independent director since June 2019 and Chair since February 2020
Nominations Committee (Chair)
People and Remuneration Committee
David is a business leader focused on innovation, technology and telecommunications, with more than 30 years' experience creating brand and shareholder value. He is currently chairman of Tyro, Australia’s only independent EFTPOS provider, and a non-executive director of Ramsay Health Care, a global hospital group.
David had a successful executive career as CEO of Telstra, a significant Australian telecommunications company, and as CEO of IBM Australia and New Zealand. In 2017, David was made an Officer (AO) in the General Division of the Order of Australia.
Steven Aldrich
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Independent director since October 2020
People and Remuneration Committee
Steven is an entrepreneur and professional director with more than 25 years’ experience in creating and delivering products within the technology and accounting software industries. Steven is currently a non-executive director of Blucora, a provider of technology-enabled financial solutions, and Ruby Receptionists, a virtual customer engagement solution provider.
Steven has held a range of senior executive roles, including at GoDaddy, the world’s largest services platform for entrepreneurs, where most recently he was chief product officer. Prior to this, Steven was the CEO of Outright, an online bookkeeping service, which was acquired by GoDaddy. Steven has also held various senior management roles at Intuit, including vice president of strategy and innovation for the small business division. Steven holds a Bachelor of Arts in Physics from the University of North Carolina and a Master of Business Administration from Stanford University.
Mark Cross
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Independent director since April 2020
Audit and Risk Management Committee (Chair)
People and Remuneration Committee
Mark is an experienced professional director with more than 20 years of international experience in corporate finance and investment banking. Mark is currently a non-executive director of ACC (NZ government Crown entity), Chorus, and Z Energy (both NZX and ASX listed). He is also chair of Milford Asset Management.
Mark was at Deutsche Bank for 10 years, initially based in Sydney in mergers and acquisitions, then in London as a managing director and co-head of a European M&A industry group. Mark holds a Bachelor of Business Studies (Accounting & Finance) from Massey University New Zealand, is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand, a chartered member of the New Zealand Institute of Directors and a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Rod Drury
FOUNDER AND NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Director since July 2006
Nominations Committee
For more than a decade, Rod led Xero to be a global software business and S&P/ASX 100 company. Rod started his career at Ernst & Young and went on to establish and lead a number of innovative technology businesses. Rod was formerly an independent director of the NZX and Trade Me. At the Deloitte Top 200 Awards in 2017, Rod was named Visionary Leader of the Year. He was named Ernst & Young New Zealand Entrepreneur of the Year in 2013, and is a member of the New Zealand Hi-Tech Hall of Fame.
Lee Hatton
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Independent director since April 2014
Audit and Risk Management Committee
Lee has more than 20 years’ experience internationally in the financial services industry and has held senior executive roles in marketing, strategy and risk in large scale customer-facing businesses. In 2020, Lee joined the global executive team at Afterpay and is responsible for driving the business’s strategy for new platforms, products and services. Lee has been recognized by IBM as one of 40 Women Leaders in Artificial Intelligence across the globe for her work in delivering world-first innovations. Lee holds a Bachelor of Business from Auckland University of Technology, and is an alumni of Berkeley Haas School of Business. She is also a member of Chief Executive Women which represents Australia’s most senior and distinguished female leaders.
Brian McAndrews
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Independent director since February 2022
Audit and Risk Management Committee
Brian is a professional director who has extensive experience from his career as an executive and CEO driving growth and innovation for leading technology, software-as-a-service and cloud-based companies. His experience includes leading Pandora Media, a streaming music provider in the US, and aQuantive, a digital marketing services and technology company that was acquired by Microsoft.
Brian currently is a non-executive director of Frontdoor Inc, a platform for home services, and is Presiding Director on the board of The New York Times. He was previously a director of Chewy Inc, Grubhub Inc and Teladoc Health Inc.
Brian has been included in the National Association of Corporate Directors Directorship 100, which recognizes the most influential board members. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in economics from Harvard College and a Master of Business Administration from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.
Dale Murray CBE
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Independent director since April 2018
Audit and Risk Management Committee
Nominations Committee
Dale is a former technology entrepreneur who co-founded mobile pioneer Omega Logic in 1999, which co-launched prepay top-ups in the UK. Dale led the growth of top-up transactions to £450m within five years then turned to investing and advising startups and won the British Angel Investor of the Year award in 2011. Dale is currently a non-executive director at the Cranemere Group, Jupiter Fund Management plc, Rated People, LendInvest plc, and Lightspeed Commerce Inc and is a board advisor to Accelerate:Her. She was formerly a non-executive director and trustee for the Peter Jones Foundation, a non-executive director at Sussex Place Ventures and the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the London Business School and served on the Business Taskforce on EU Redtape for the British Prime Minister in 2013. Dale was made Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) by Her Majesty the Queen in 2013, for services to business.
Susan Peterson
NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Independent director since February 2017
People and Remuneration Committee (Chair)
Nominations Committee
Susan is an experienced business leader with a particular interest in helping companies to drive growth through technology, innovation and organizational culture. Susan is currently the chair of Vista Group and an independent director of Property for Industry, Arvida Group and Craigs Investment Partners.
Susan is also a board member of nonprofit Global Women and was previously a member of the New Zealand Markets Disciplinary Tribunal. Susan is a past director of ASB Bank and was a past Ministerial appointee to the National Advisory Council on the Employment of Women.
Company secretary
Damien Coleman
COMPANY SECRETARY
Damien is a legal and governance professional and leader with more than 20 years’ experience advising senior management and boards. Prior to joining Xero, Damien was Company Secretary and Deputy Group General Counsel at Telstra. Damien holds a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) and a Bachelor of Economics from the Australian National University. He is a fellow of the Governance Institute of Australia and a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Executive team
Steve Vamos
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER
Steve leads the global growth and performance of Xero. With more than 30 years’ experience in global technology and digital media, Steve has worked in leading international businesses including Apple, IBM and Microsoft. Steve led the growth of online media business Ninemsn from startup to industry leader as the company’s CEO. Steve previously served on the boards of Telstra, David Jones and Medibank, and has an honours degree in civil engineering from the University of New South Wales, Australia.
Anna Curzon
CHIEF PRODUCT OFFICER
Anna leads Xero’s product teams, spearheading product management, development, design, and product marketing to bring more exciting Xero features to partners and small businesses. Anna has a wealth of experience in online financial services and operations. Before joining Xero as managing director for New Zealand in 2016, Anna led internet banking at ASB and the digital first strategy at Spark. Anna has a bachelor’s degree and a postgraduate diploma in commerce from the University of Auckland.
Kirsty Godfrey-Billy
CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER
Kirsty leads Xero’s global financial team driving financial outcomes, actively managing the group’s financial performance, optimizing the business's balance sheet, and communicating the group’s strategic and financial priorities to stakeholders including investors. Kirsty is an FCA and FCPA with more than 25 years’ global experience in the finance and technology sectors across New Zealand and the UK at companies including PwC, BBC Technology, Jade and Siemens. Kirsty holds a Bachelor of Commerce and Management from Lincoln University.
Chris O'Neill
CHIEF GROWTH OFFICER
Chris leads the global growth and operational performance of Xero's Applications & Services businesses, including Financial Services, Payroll, Planday, and Ecosystem teams. He also leads Xero's strategic development in the Americas. With over 25 years of experience, Chris has served as an executive and board member for many global technology companies, including Google and Evernote. Chris holds an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Huron University College.
Rachael Powell
CHIEF CUSTOMER OFFICER
Rachael is responsible for Xero’s global sales, marketing, communications, and customer functions. Throughout her career she has held leadership positions in marketing, sales and HR, predominantly in digital and technology companies. Rachael believes customer experience must resonate from the inside out and advocates for positive engagement programs to effectively mobilise the business strategy at scale. Rachael has a Master of Applied Positive Psychology, a Master of Business Administration, a Bachelor of Business, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Mark Rees
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Mark leads the platform, security, data and automation teams at Xero and is responsible for enabling Xero’s technology platform for growth and innovation. Before joining Xero, Mark was the chief technology officer for Microsoft New Zealand and the chief product and technology officer for Trade Me. Mark has a PhD and Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from the University of Canterbury.
Nicole Reid
CHIEF PEOPLE OFFICER
Nicole leads Xero’s people experience function globally. As an established human resources leader, she has more than 20 years’ experience in human resources strategy development and execution, delivering value-adding organizational people solutions and transformational change programs. Nicole has worked across the financial services, technology and telecommunications industries for companies including AMP and Microsoft.
Chaman Sidhu
CHIEF LEGAL OFFICER
Chaman leads Xero’s legal, government relations and governance functions globally. She has more than 20 years’ experience in legal operations, strategy, compliance, governance and risk management. She has previously worked as group general counsel and company secretary for Envato and Lonely Planet Publications. Chaman is dual-qualified in Australia and the US, and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Damien Tampling
CHIEF STRATEGY & CORPORATE DEVELOPMENT OFFICER
Damien leads Xero’s global strategy, corporate development teams, partnerships and ecosystem teams. Prior to joining Xero, Damien spent nearly 20 years at Deloitte in a number of senior strategy, M&A and other executive roles and was a founding partner of Deloitte’s global online and mobile technology practice, Deloitte Digital. He holds a Bachelor of Business from RMIT University, Melbourne and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Executive leadership: Regional leaders
Craig Hudson
MANAGING DIRECTOR, NEW ZEALAND & PACIFIC ISLANDS
Craig is responsible for promoting the small business economy in New Zealand and the Pacific Islands, and for Xero’s relationships with government, financial institutions, and enterprise. Craig joined Xero in the UK where he led the business into markets in Europe, the Middle East and South Africa. Prior to joining Xero, Craig played professional rugby in New Zealand, France, England and Wales.
Joseph Lyons
MANAGING DIRECTOR, AUSTRALIA & ASIA
Joseph was appointed managing director in July 2021, after joining Xero as executive general manager of sales in 2019. Joseph is responsible for driving Xero’s next phase of growth in Australia and Asia. He has worked in roles across a range of sectors in Australia, the UK, the US and Canada. Before joining Xero, he was the chief commercial officer at REA Group. Joseph is a member of the Institute of Company Directors in Australia, and has a Bachelor of Management degree focused in marketing from the University of South Australia.
Alex von Schirmeister
MANAGING DIRECTOR, UNITED KINGDOM & EMEA
Alex is responsible for leading Xero’s operations across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. He has more than 25 years’ of senior leadership experience, having led teams across Europe and Latin America in ecommerce, payments, telecommunications, FMCG and consultancy. Prior to Xero, Alex led the European operations for small business payments technology company SumUp, and before that, he held senior leadership positions at Electrocomponents plc and eBay, where he gained exposure to a large constituency of merchant sellers. Alex holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, International Business from Georgetown University, and a Master of Business Administration from INSEAD.
Tony Ward
PRESIDENT, AMERICAS
Tony is responsible for expanding Xero’s businesses in the Americas. He has 20 years of experience in senior leadership positions with global technology companies, including Microsoft Australia, LinkedIn, Spark, SurveyMonkey and Dropbox. He’s also founded a successful cloud-based startup, Business365, aimed at small businesses. Tony holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba and a bachelor of commerce from the University of Auckland and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.