Bud Communications bags Daikin and WEX as Australia team quadruples

Independent PR and content agency Bud Communications has added Daikin and WEX to its client roster as it continues to expand its Australian operation.

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The agency said the two account wins came during the first half of 2026. WEX has appointed Bud to lead its public relations across the APAC region, while Daikin joins its growing group of enterprise clients.

Bud expands client roster across APAC

The new business adds to Bud’s existing work across enterprise technology, ecommerce, corporate and consumer sectors. Its regional client roster also includes AC Mobility and new energy vehicle manufacturer BYD.

Bud launched in Australia in 2024 and has since grown its local operation from one employee to a four-person team. The agency is headquartered in Singapore, with offices in Sydney and Manila and operations across Malaysia, Indonesia and Japan.

Oliver Budgen, CEO and founder of Bud Communications, said Australia had become one of the agency’s strongest growth markets over the past two years.

“Going from a one-person outpost to a fast-growing team, and picking up accounts like Daikin and WEX, largely through word of mouth, comes down to how we work: focusing on building client believability, adopting and applying new technology, and nurturing a culture that lets us attract people who’d rather challenge how comms is done rather than repeat it,” Budgen said.

Agency adds former AdNews deputy editor

Bud has also expanded its content team with the appointment of former AdNews deputy editor Ashley Regan as senior content executive.

Regan has spent six years working across editorial and content roles, with a focus on Australia’s media and marketing sectors. Her work has also been recognised at the Australian IT Journalism Awards, known as The Lizzies.

The appointment extends Bud’s Australian presence to Melbourne.

Richie Kenzie, Australia lead at Bud Communications, said: “We’re thrilled to have someone of Ash’s journalistic calibre join Bud’s Australia team. Not only does she expand our presence to Melbourne, she also brings a wealth of experience across industries where the majority of our clients do business.”

“Her addition further demonstrates Bud’s ability to provide both best in class PR and genuinely impactful marketing content for our partners.”

Believability framework supports new business

Bud said its proprietary Believability Framework has played a role in recent pitches. The diagnostic is designed to assess areas including brand trust, credibility and authenticity, with its findings then used to shape PR strategy.

The growth follows Bud Australia’s first industry award in August. The agency was recognised as a top PR agency in Australia and New Zealand at the PRovoke Awards.

Kenzie said the client wins and team expansion had contributed to a positive first half for the business.

“Alongside the slate of new client wins we’ve had in the first half of the year, it’s been an extremely positive period overall for the business and we’re excited to continue our upward momentum,” he said.