Kate Hayward
Kate Hayward
Kate leads Xero's business operations in the UK, playing an active role as an advocate for our customer community. She joined Xero in 2019 and has held critical leadership roles in Xero’s strategy and operations teams, globally and in the UK. Prior to Xero, Kate held strategy roles at Deloitte Australia and KPMG. She holds a Bachelor of Science (Biology) from the University of South Hampton and trained and qualified with the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS).
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) is now live for sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000

Making Tax Digital is here – what small businesses need to know now

Kate Hayward
May 29 '26
Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) is now live for sole traders and landlords earning over £50,000
Small businesses in 2026 continue to operate in a tough economic environment. Rising costs, tighter margins and ongoing economic uncertainty mean owners are constantly looking for ways to work smarter, not just harder.

How UK small businesses can use AI with confidence

Kate Hayward
Mar 25 '26
Small businesses in 2026 continue to operate in a tough economic environment. Rising costs, tighter margins and ongoing economic uncertainty mean owners are constantly looking for ways to work smarter, not just harder
With so many competing priorities, it’s no wonder many business owners rarely stop to acknowledge how far they’ve come.

Why British small businesses should stop downplaying their success

Kate Hayward
Dec 9 '25
With so many competing priorities, it’s no wonder many business owners rarely stop to acknowledge how far they’ve come
Setting yourself up for growth in the golden quarter

Setting yourself up for growth in the golden quarter

Kate Hayward
Nov 19 '25
As we move into the final stretch of the year, many small businesses are gearing up for the seasonal peak
The UK’s smallest businesses (0-9 employees) have a distinct set of pressures. Unlike their larger cousins, they lack the financial resources to hire specialist staff in areas like finance, IT and HR.

What is the SME fallacy and how do we overcome it?

Kate Hayward
Apr 22 '25
The UK’s smallest businesses (0-9 employees) have a distinct set of pressures. Unlike their larger cousins, they lack the financial resources to hire specialist staff in areas like finance, IT and HR
The need to help small businesses manage stress is more important than ever 

The need to help small businesses manage stress is more important than ever 

Kate Hayward
Nov 8 '22
Small businesses need more support to help encourage and fund mental health initiatives, but there are strategies they can implement in the meantime