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Rod Drury has been knighted following the $21.78 billion success of Xero, New Zealand's second-largest tech exporter. Under his leadership, Xero generated thousands of jobs and served over four million customers globally.

Drury has been influential in digitisation initiatives, including online GST and the New Zealand Business Number. He founded Xero in 2006, overcoming challenges from multinational competitors to become a billionaire.

Post-CEO, he is involved in various projects, including a $400 million gondola transport system for Queenstown and investments in renewable energy and health models. Drury's venture capital firm, Radar Ventures, supports start-ups and is backing Wellington's OpenStar Technologies for a future nuclear fusion reactor. He advocates for cheaper energy and has received numerous awards for his entrepreneurial achievements.