Every transformation partnership evolves in its own way, and many develop into long-term programs that shape how both teams work. Our decade with REA Group is a strong example of that progression. What began as a conversation about untangling a complex finance stack has grown into a long-running body of work that’s become a reference point for NetSuite innovation.
Ten years ago, REA Group approached us to replace multiple database instances with one global NetSuite platform. It was a turning point that reshaped how their finance and operations teams worked and it set the stage for everything that followed.
To mark the occasion, we brought Phil Moon and Norm Duce from REA Group, and Matthew Owens from Annexa together to share what a decade of continuous improvement looks like inside a fast-moving digital business.
You can also read the full story in REA Group’s NetSuite case study by Annexa.
Breaking the bottleneck and unlocking scale
Go back to 2014 and REA’s finance stack was at a dead end. Their legacy ERP was so customised that even small changes became painful. Month end stretched far longer than it should, with constant database reloads needed to produce accurate reports. It was a system that simply couldn’t keep up with where the business was heading.
Annexa stepped in and migrated REA to NetSuite OneWorld, unifying 26 databases into a single global platform and removing the operational bottleneck. Suddenly REA had a finance backbone capable of supporting international growth. For a digital organisation expanding across markets and brands, that decision created room for the business to scale without the system fighting against it.
We see this consistently across large transformation programs. A stable, scalable foundation increases an organisation’s ability to execute, and in REA Group’s case it created the headroom to progress wider operational improvements.
The shift from replacement to reinvention
While go live was a major milestone, the more interesting story is how their NetSuite environment has evolved since. In the early years it operated as a straightforward replacement, yet over time it became the place where REA solved complex operational challenges that couldn’t be addressed anywhere else. The shift came from countless design choices, iterations and small wins that steadily reshaped how the organisation used the platform.
Together with Annexa, REA Group built custom solutions that matched the way the organisation worked:
- A tailored CAPEX module for software development tracking
- A customised dunning module to strengthen collections
- A Slack integration that brings approvals and notifications directly into day-to-day workflow
- A defined playbook for integrating new businesses with accuracy and consistency
- Global rollouts that created alignment across markets and teams
These enhancements represent a fraction of what has been delivered across the platform, yet they show how targeted improvements compound over time. Because implementation is only the beginning. An ERP must evolve as the business evolves, ensuring the platform reflects the organisation rather than shaping its constraints.
A partnership built on challenge and shared ambition
Our decade working alongside REA Group has been defined by clear communication, high expectations and a shared commitment to progress. REA move quickly and set a strong pace for improvement and Annexa has matched that with technical leadership and solutions built for real operational pressure.
The partnership works because both sides engage early, question assumptions and expect the platform to keep evolving. Over ten years that mindset has created a compounding effect, with each improvement enabling the next stage of growth.
What this decade tells us about long-term ERP strategy
Plenty of businesses rebuild their finance systems. Fewer turn those systems into engines of ongoing innovation. REA’s experience shows what becomes possible when you invest in the right architecture, the right operating model and people who keep pushing the boundaries of what the tech can do.
Their NetSuite solution is now the backbone for real-time reporting, streamlined month end and operational alignment across brands and regions. It supports how teams work today and it’s ready for the emerging technologies shaping the next decade.
And the next chapter is already underway. AI is reshaping expectations for automation and insight and both teams are leaning into this shift. We’re working closely with REA to develop AI-led enhancements and guide how these capabilities are embedded into the platform.
It’s been a privilege to support REA Group over the past decade and we’re looking forward to what the next ten years bring.
Planning a move off your current stack? Reach out and we’ll help you assess the fit for cloud ERP.