Tax Traders appoints Chloe Kyrke-Smith as Head of Product

Tax Traders has appointed Chloe Kyrke-Smith as Head of Product, a role spanning both Tax Traders and its sibling business, Taxi.

She joins the New Zealand fintech from AI software company Blackpearl, where she was Vice President of Product. Earlier roles included Chief Product and Customer Officer at Flick Electric and nearly a decade at Xero. She is also a chartered accountant.

The appointment adds a senior product executive to the leadership team as the company broadens its offering beyond tax pooling. Kyrke-Smith will lead product strategy across both businesses, shaping products for accountants and small and medium-sized businesses.

Founded in 2012, Tax Traders built its business around tax pooling, which allows taxpayers to manage provisional tax payments more flexibly while reducing Inland Revenue interest and penalties. Taxi offers working capital by enabling businesses to borrow against provisional tax payments.

Broader product push

The group is positioning itself as a broader provider of financial tools rather than a single-product tax service. That shift places greater emphasis on product development as it seeks to connect tax, cashflow and other financial functions for business customers.

Co-Founder Nicola Taylor said the appointment reflects that wider move.

"Over the past few years we've evolved well beyond tax pooling. Today we're building an increasingly connected suite of products that help accountants and business owners manage cashflow, tax and financial decisions in smarter ways.

To do that well, you need exceptional product leadership, and Chloe is exceptionally well placed to provide it. She will lead product strategy across both businesses, bringing together customer insight, commercial thinking and technology into a roadmap that helps us build not just more products, but better ones," Taylor said.

Kyrke-Smith's background spans software, financial technology and energy. She has worked on products including reporting, tax, bank reconciliation and invoicing, and has also built product functions from the ground up.

That mix of accounting and product experience is relevant for a company whose core customers are accountants and businesses managing tax obligations and short-term funding needs. Tax Traders' services operate within Inland Revenue's approved tax pooling framework, which has been in place in New Zealand for more than two decades.

Customer focus

Kyrke-Smith said the company's purpose and culture were central to her decision to take the role.

"Tax Traders is a genuinely purpose-led organisation, and I've seen firsthand how a values-driven approach isn't at odds with a successful business - it's what underpins one. I'm feeling very lucky to have landed here.

That strong sense of purpose creates the foundation for building great products. I've always believed the best products come from understanding customers deeply and solving the right problems. I'm looking forward to working alongside the team to build on what's already been created and to create products that are genuinely valuable," Kyrke-Smith said.

The hire reflects continued investment in product development as the company expands its platform. For Tax Traders and Taxi, that means building out services aimed at helping customers manage tax obligations, working capital and financial decision-making in one place.

Taylor said the appointment signals the company's direction in New Zealand's competitive market for financial software and services.

"When someone of Chloe's calibre chooses to join your business, it's a strong endorsement of where you are and where you are heading," Taylor said.