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).
overlooked economy

The £868 billion small business economy that is being critically overlooked

Kate Hayward
Oct 22 '26
Millions of the small businesses Britain relies on every day are operating with less visibility, support and recognition than they deserve. Kate Hayward, UK Managing Director of Xero, argues that changing that starts with a conversation
Kate Hayward explains how small businesses can adopt AI incrementally, building confidence and control while preserving human touch and accountability.

From curious to confidence: making AI work for small businesses

Kate Hayward
Sep 2 '26
Kate Hayward explains how small businesses can adopt AI incrementally, building confidence and control while preserving human touch and accountability
Research shows most UK youth lack business finance skills, risking a weaker future pipeline of small enterprises, says Kate Hayward.

How to boost financial confidence for the UK’s small business pipeline

Kate Hayward
Aug 27 '26
Research shows most UK youth lack business finance skills, risking a weaker future pipeline of small enterprises, says Kate Hayward
UK small business sales growth slowed to 2.9% in Q1 2026. Kate Hayward of Xero explains why caution is understandable, and what resilience looks like.

The rise of the ‘wait and see’ small business economy

Kate Hayward
Jul 9 '26
UK small business sales growth slowed to 2.9% in Q1 2026. Kate Hayward of Xero explains why caution is understandable, and what resilience looks like
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