Sir Rod Drury, of Queenstown, was last night named the 2026 Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa. The comment was made by the judging panel of the Kiwibank New Zealander of the Year Awards after Sir Rod (Ngai Tahu), of Queenstown, was last night named New Zealander of the Year Te Pou Whakarae o Aotearoa at a gala dinner in Auckland. The judges said Sir Rod, a pioneer entrepreneur and founder of Xero, continued to shape New Zealand’s technology landscape through innovation, investment and mentorship. Most recently, he established Southern Infrastructure Ltd to support Queenstown public infrastructure projects, including the proposed cable car. Kiwibank chief executive Steve Jurkovich said Sir Rod had a track record for turning ‘‘ambition into action’’.

Source: Otago Daily Times March 19, 2026 22:56 UTC