DA Latest News

TORONTO, ON – MAY 5, 2025 – Vencora, a long-term acquirer of financial services technology companies, today announced that it has acquired Data Action (“DA”), a leading Australian provider of core and digital banking solutions and technology services.

Today’s announcement marks Vencora’s first acquisition of an Australian-based banking technology company, and together with Vencora’s insurance technology business SSP, it greatly expands Vencora’s presence within the region.
DA was founded in 1986 as a co-operative undertaking by eight local credit unions. Headquartered in Adelaide, South Australia, the company provides a strong suite of solutions to financial institutions nationwide. Today, DA is a leading banking platform provider for challenger banks that supports over five million customer accounts across Australia.

“We are thrilled to welcome DA to Vencora. As a trusted technology partner to many of Australia’s challenger banks and financial institutions, DA brings a strong track record of innovation, and we’re excited to support the continued success and growth of DA and their clients,” said Ateet Patel, Portfolio Manager at Vencora.

DA becomes the eighteenth brand under Vencora. The company will maintain its brand and continue to operate independently, while leveraging Vencora’s industry expertise and best practices, as well as the collaborative environment of Vencora’s global portfolio of financial services technology companies.

“DA’s core and digital banking solutions, along with its technology services, perfectly complement our existing ecosystem, and today’s acquisition demonstrates Vencora’s strengthening position within Australia and the global banking technology industry,” explained Patel.

“Bank Australia looks forward to continuing its partnership with DA under Vencora’s ownership and we are excited to see how the strategic investment in technology and innovation will benefit our customers over the long-term,” said Damien Walsh, CEO of Bank Australia.

“As a long-term partner of DA, Beyond Bank is excited to continue this critical technology relationship in the coming years under DA’s new ownership, and looks forward to the international expertise Vencora will bring to DA’s operations,” added David Marshall, CEO of Beyond Bank.

“Credit Union SA is excited to see the next evolution of this important business within the mutual banking ecosystem. Having an international owner that is committed to investment is a great opportunity for all of us,” said Todd Roberts, CEO of Credit Union SA.

About Vencora

Vencora acquires, strengthens and grows vertical market technology companies in the banking, insurance and financial services sector. We build legends and preserve legacies. Vencora provides new acquisitions with business opportunities and the resources to pursue them. We are focused on bringing together a strong portfolio of financial services software businesses in order for them to grow and continue serving the best interests of their customers and employees.
For more information, visit vencora.com

About Data Acton

Data Action (DA) is a specialist technology solutions and services provider to the challenger banking and financial services industry. DA operates nationally with staff based in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and services a broad client base including customer-owned banks, credit unions, challenger banks and financial services membership organisations.
For more information, visit da.com.au

For further information:

Andrew Sturrock
Marketing Manager
Vencora
andrew.sturrock@vencora.com

Leading banking technology services provider, Data Action (DA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Marcus Thompson as a Board Director.

Marcus joined the Board of Data Action in June 2024.

Marcus is a retired Major General who served 34 years in the Australian Army. Graduating from the Royal Military College in 1988, Marcus was allocated to the Royal Australian Corps of Signals.

He served in a variety of command, regimental and Special Operations appointments including: Command of the 3rd Combat Signal Regiment; secondment to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet as the Senior Advisor Defence Policy and Operations; Director General Special Operations Capability; Commander 6th Brigade; and deployments to East Timor, Iraq, and Afghanistan.

His final appointment was as the inaugural Head of Information Warfare for the Australian Defence Force.

Since leaving the Australian Army, Marcus has founded Cyber Compass Pty Ltd, an independent advisory focused on improving cyber security and developing sovereign Australian capability.

In addition to his role with DA, Marcus is a Non-Executive Director of Penten, and a Non-Executive Director of Bank Australia.

“Marcus has had an exceptional career, and we are delighted to have him join the DA Board as a Director. His leadership, experience and knowledge will greatly contribute to the governance of DA,” said Lynne Robinson, DA Chair.

About DA
Data Action (DA) is a specialist software and services provider to the challenger banking and financial services industry. DA operates nationally with staff based in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, and services a broad client base including customer-owned banks, credit unions, neobanks and financial services membership organisations.

Leading banking technology services provider, Data Action (DA) is pleased to announce the appointment of Lynne Robinson as their new Chair.

She is an experienced board member and chair, with an executive background in the finance sector, including positions at ANZ, ING Australia and GIO Australia. Her leadership roles in banking technology, organisational transformation and commercial delivery of technology and data services add significantly to the skillset within the DA Board.

Lynne is committed to the values of strong governance, integrity, and transparency as DA Chair.

DA has also appointed a new Chief Executive Officer, Mike Barber, who will be joining in June.

Mike has a deep understanding and insight related to business systems, managed services, cloud computing, cyber security, biometrics, and the impact this has across all businesses.

He has extensive experience in the information and communication technology industries, most recently as CEO of the Australian Cyber Collaboration Centre (A3C). His executive and senior roles with major businesses include NEC Australia and Hewlett-Packard.

“We are looking forward to welcoming Mike to DA. Not only is he an outstanding leader, his blend of skills and business acumen will accelerate the transformation of DA to improve delivery, stability and support for clients and their customers,” said Lynne Robinson, DA Chair.

About DA

Data Action (DA) is a specialist software and services provider to the challenger banking and financial services industry. DA operates nationally with staff based in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and services a broad client base including customer-owned banks, credit unions, neobanks and financial services membership organisations.

Data Action (DA) clients are powering ahead with outstanding results for speed and performance in recent consumer data right (CDR) statistics published by the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC).

CDR, also known as Open Banking in the financial sector, delivers more control over data for consumers and access to more competitive deals on products and services, with the potential to improve financial wellbeing.

DA’s Open Banking capability is delivered through our core banking ecosystem, which supports mutual and alternative banks in Australia.

All 16 of DA’s Open Banking clients are well above the ACCC’s guideline for response time for CDR requests, which is under one second – DA clients are delivering responses at 0.44 seconds or less.

DA clients are also above the threshold for the percentage of time their systems are available to share CDR data – service availability of 99.5% measured over each month.

DA is proud of the results our team have delivered for clients, and it’s also great news for consumers who are looking to get the most out of their data. As noted by the ACCC, a higher percentage of service availability means consumers can access their data when they need it, and “the shorter the response time, the better the outcome of consumers, because their data is shared more quickly.”

The data published by the ACCC covers CDR performance for financial institutions for the period 21 September 2021 to 17 December 2021. Read more: https://www.cdr.gov.au/performance

About DA
Data Action (DA) is a specialist software and services provider to the alternate banking and financial services industry.  DA operates nationally with staff based in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and services a broad client base including customer-owned banks, credit unions, neobanks and financial services membership organisations.

Media Enquiries:
Grant Titmus

Data Action (DA) Chair, Jane Jeffreys, is pleased to announce the appointment of two new directors to the DA Board.

Joh Barker and Greg Camm joined the DA Board in June 2021.

Ms Barker has significant board experience, with a background in business technology change, having been a director at CenITex during its complex migration to cloud delivery.

Her previous senior leadership roles with major technology-based businesses focused on strategy, operations, and governance.

Her 40-year career also includes eight years working with ANZ, where she was a senior executive in payment technologies and regulation, creating a central hub for global operations and later moving to strategic digital transformation.

Mr Camm has extensive board and chair experience, including his current role with AMIST Super. He is also a trustee of the Australian Cancer Research Foundation. His senior leadership roles in financial services focused on mortgage finance and retail banking.

His 40-year career also includes CEO roles with Superpartners, AMP Financial Services (New Zealand) and ANZ (New Zealand).

Ms Jeffreys said DA will benefit greatly from the experience of Ms Barker and Mr Camm.

“This will support DA’s strategy for growth and further innovation, delivering even better banking experiences for our clients and their customers,” Ms Jeffreys said.

Data Action (DA) would like to congratulate 86 400 on its announcement to join forces with NAB’s UBank.

DA has supported 86 400 since its inception by providing its core banking system.

“We are excited for the 86 400 team and look forward to continuing our journey with them as 86 400 integrates into UBank,” said Data Action CEO Nicola Burgess.

“DA continues to support challenger brands such as 86 400 and it is great news for customers that are already benefiting from their offerings using cutting-edge technology.”

About DA

Data Action (DA) is a specialist software and services provider to the alternate banking and financial services industry.   DA operates nationally with staff based in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and services a broad client base including customer owned banks, credit unions, neobanks and financial services membership organisations.

Specialist software and services provider to the financial services industry Data Action (DA) today enabled more than a dozen Australian banks to go live and be able to publish Product Reference Data (PRD) as part of the Consumer Data Right (CDR) Open Banking regulations.

“This is an important step for these banks on the roadmap to deliver CDR legislation,” said DA Chief Executive Nicola Burgess. “They have utilised DA’s PRD solution to enable them to publish all the products they have through APIs.

“There are several milestones that need to be achieved as part of the ACCC’s directives to ensure all banks are compliant by milestone dates set for February and July next year and this is a very important step on that path.”

The four major banks went live with sharing PRD on accounts and mortgages on February 1 and for all financial products on July 1 with other financial services providers given a three-month extension from July 1 due to the impacts of COVID-19.  

The four major banks went live with sharing customer PRD on 1 July with other financial services providers given a three-month extension due to the impacts of COVID-19.

The extension applied to non-major ADIs, including non-major banks, building societies and credit unions – the core of DA’s clients.

Open Banking is one of the biggest shake-ups in banking in Australia and rolls out across the country’s banking sector over the next nine months.

Developed by the ACCC, it is part of Australia’s Consumer Data Right (CDR) which aims to provide greater choice and control for Australians over how their data is used and disclosed. Banking is the first sector to which the CDR applies followed by the energy and communications sectors.

Open Banking allows consumers to instruct their bank to share their data with other banks, fintechs and technology services providers which means it will improve a consumer’s ability to compare and switch between products and services. It will also encourage increased competition between service providers, leading to better outcomes for customers. All banks need to be compliant by 1 July next year.

About DA

Data Action (DA) is a specialist software and services provider to the alternate banking and financial services industry.   DA operates nationally with staff based in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and services a broad client base including customer owned banks, credit unions, neobanks and financial services membership organisations.

Media Enquiries:
Grant Titmus, Sumit Media
grant@sumitmedia.com.au & 0419 388 161

Specialist software and services provider to the financial services industry Data Action (DA) has bolstered its senior management team with the appointment of a Chief Risk Officer.

Jarrod Sawers, who has more than 20 years’ experience in financial services, joins DA from AIA Australia where he was Chief Risk Officer during a period of sustained change and an evolving regulatory environment across the financial services sector.  He also held the position of Head of Enterprise Delivery and was responsible for delivering transformation initiatives across both AIA Australia and AIA New Zealand.

DA Chief Executive Nicola Burgess said the appointment reflects our commitment to working within an increasing regulatory and compliance environment, and in support of our banking and financial services clients who are regulated by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.

“Jarrod will add significantly to our expertise in risk management and compliance at a time when data security is at the forefront of not only banking but business in general,” she said.

Mr Sawers said he is looking forward to utilising his risk management expertise in the banking sector noting his experience at AIA being relevant for DA’s growing offering.

About DA

Data Action (DA) is a specialist software and services provider to the alternate banking and financial services industry.   DA operates nationally with staff based in Adelaide, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and services a broad client base including customer owned banks, credit unions, neobanks and financial services membership organisations.

Data Action has bolstered its senior management team with two new hires after an extensive recruitment process.

Andrew McCleave joins DA as General Manager of Growth and Customer Experience and Damon Dermody as Head of Digital Products and Innovation.

Data Action is a specialist software and services provider to the financial services industry with clients including 86 400, People’s Choice Credit Union, Bank Australia, Greater Bank and Defence Bank.

DA Chief Executive Officer Nicola Burgess said: “These are significant leadership appointments and underline our renewed digital focus and ongoing commitment to delivering contemporary and innovative solutions for our customers.

“Andrew and Damon are experienced professionals with strong backgrounds in banking, technology and digital services.  They have a wealth of expertise in organisational leadership and in delivering transformative customer-focussed programs and strategies across multiple markets.”

Mr McCleave will be responsible for shaping DA’s business development strategy to drive business growth, promote strong client engagement and retention strategies, and championing our overall customer experience.

Mr Dermody will be responsible for leading the development of DA’s product innovation strategy, helping to pilot new, disruptive features and functionalities and bring them to market, delivering an enhanced product suite and customer experience.

DA’s banking clients have more than one million customers representing more than $33 billion in client assets. DA is a national business, employing staff in Adelaide, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney.