DocuSign has announced plans to open a Microsoft Azure-based data centre in Australia. Slated to come online early next year, it is intended that the data centre will meet the federal government’s requirements for handling classified and sensitive data. 

Microsoft confirmed in August that it planned to deliver Microsoft Azure from two new regions located within highly-secure data centres in Canberra.

“We have been encouraged by the government’s clear drive to create a tangible shift to the digital world – and we want to play our part by ensuring we’re here to serve the public and the private sector’s eSignature and digital transaction management needs,” said Brad Newton, APAC Vice-President, DocuSign.

“The investment in a local data centre is just part of our commitment to helping the government be ‘digital-ready’ by providing a simple way to meet its targets around customer-facing interactions taking place online. We’re looking forward to supporting the next phase of digital transformation with the National Digital Economy Strategy in 2018.”

Telstra – itself a DocuSign customer and strategic investor through its venture capital arm Telstra Ventures – believes that a local point of presence will go a long towards supporting the public and private sector’s push for digital transformation.

“We welcome DocuSign’s data centre plan and its commitment to digital transformation. Since Telstra Ventures invested in DocuSign in 2014, the company has grown significantly in Australia.  We're now seeing strong potential for collaboration between DocuSign and our other portfolio companies such as Whispir; especially in the Government sector,” said Matthew Koertge, Managing Director at Telstra Ventures.

For its part, Telstra will offer government agencies access to a series of customised digital solutions that help replace paperwork with digital and online accessible documentation at a national government level.