After graduating from Sydney University in 1965 with a mechanical engineering degree, Dale Budd worked in both the public and private sectors as a manager and management consultant.
He was Chief-of-Staff to the then Prime Minister, Malcolm Fraser, between 1975 and 1978. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1978, for his work in this role.
From 1978 he was principal of his own consultancy in management and government relations.
From 2001 to 2007 he was a director of the Australian Rail Track Corporation, and was vice-chairman of the Board from 2004.
He was a member of the Board of Canberra Grammar School from 1989, and Chairman from 1993 to 1999.
Dale Budd is a Life Fellow of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport.