Oliver Wood
Founder & Managing Director – PWD Digital Agency
Oliver founded PWD in 2007 while studying law at Edith Cowan University. Nearly two decades later, he leads a team of 40+ across SEO, web development, PPC, and branding – serving ASX-listed companies, government organisations, and local businesses across Australia.
From backpacker to business titan
Oliver arrived in Australia in 2006 as a 22-year-old backpacker from the UK, where he’d cut his teeth in advertising at British Telecom. When the Global Financial Crisis hit, he lost his job and his 457 visa – forcing him to start a business to fund his international student fees at Edith Cowan University.
He started with a large button phone and the Yellow Pages, making cold calls. He acquired the three-letter PWD domain by swapping a website build for it. What began as a one-person operation has grown into one of Western Australia’s leading full-service digital agencies.
That scrappy start shaped Oliver’s approach to business: be proactive, back yourself, and never stop building. Under his leadership, PWD has delivered over 4,000 websites, built a roster of 600+ ongoing clients, and scaled from local small businesses to ASX-listed companies and government organisations.
His journey from arriving in Australia with nothing to building a $22 million business group was featured in Business News WA as a triumph over adversity.
Business philosophy
“Offence beats defence. Be proactive and aggressive in business rather than reactive. And never try to do everything alone – ignoring advice early in my career cost me roughly $2 million.”
Radical Transparency
Oliver runs weekly town halls with the entire PWD team, sharing financials, sales figures, wins, and losses. No politics, no information silos – just a team that knows exactly where they stand.
Practises What He Preaches
PWD invests $500K-$600K annually on its own advertising. Oliver sees it as an insurance policy to keep the pipeline full – and proof that the strategies they sell actually work.
Clients Over Revenue
Oliver regularly turns away business when a service isn’t the right fit – including refusing to sell SEO packages when a smaller Google Ads campaign is the smarter move for the client.
Trust built on standards
ISO 9001 Certified
Quality Management Systems accreditation for PWD’s website build processes and service delivery.
ISO 27001 Certified
Information Security Management – a dual ISO certification no other WA digital agency holds.
WALGA Preferred Supplier
Pre-qualified digital services provider for local councils across Western Australia, bypassing lengthy tender processes.
Google Partner
Certified across Google Ads, Analytics, and Search – meeting Google’s performance and spend requirements.
Full-service digital capability
Web & App Development – Custom WordPress builds, eCommerce (WooCommerce & Shopify), enterprise hosting, landing pages, UX design, app development, and custom software – all backed by ISO 9001 quality processes.
Search & SEO – Technical SEO, local SEO, link building, content marketing, Google Business Profile optimisation, and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) for AI search visibility.
Paid Advertising – Google Ads, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and chatbot marketing. Data-driven campaigns with transparent reporting.
Creative & Strategy – Branding, videography, managed marketing retainers, lead generation, recruitment marketing, conversion rate optimisation, and HubSpot CRM implementation.
Practitioner, not theorist
Oliver is the primary author on the PWD Blog, where he publishes in-depth guides on SEO, digital marketing strategy, web development, and paid advertising. Every article draws from real campaign data and client results – not generic advice repackaged from elsewhere.
He’s a regular speaker at WA Leaders events, covering AI in marketing, personal brand strategy, evolving SEO practices, and email anti-spam regulations. His approach to content is the same as his approach to business: share what actually works, backed by numbers.
Industry recognition
- Business News WA From Backpacker to Business Titan: Oliver Wood’s $22 Million Triumph Over Adversity
- Business News WA PWD Digital Agency: A Journey of Growth, Innovation, and Local Success
- AgencyAnalytics Case Study – Oliver Wood, CEO of PWD
- Campaign Brief WA PWD Achieves WALGA Preferred Supplier Status
- Campaign Brief WA PWD Develops Website Experience to Introduce WA Spaceport
Business ventures
Oliver has built a diversified business group with 130+ employees spanning digital marketing, manufacturing, finance, and early childhood education – demonstrating the strategic thinking and operational rigour he applies to every client engagement at PWD.
Majestic Stairs
WA’s leading staircase manufacturer – 18 staff
Stallion Stainless
Stainless steel fabrication
Renovation Capital
High-end home renovations – sold at $9.1M turnover
Daisy Child Care
4 centres, 287 licensed places, 75 staff
Beyond business
Oliver is a licensed pilot and owner of a Diamond DA40NG – a single-engine aircraft he flies to stay sharp and cover the distance between his Perth and regional businesses. He’s also trekked to Everest Base Camp and is a hands-on father to his young daughter.
Work with Oliver & the PWD team
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