Meet Mike Sharpe, our new SEO Manager for Rise USA
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Rise at Seven's US team keeps growing.
Mike Sharpe joins us as SEO Manager, landing right as our US team scales up. He's just moved from the UK to the US, two weeks in, first time living abroad, and the final step of a near two-year green card process to be with his wife. Before Rise, he spent nearly three years at WPP working on brands like KFC, Legal & General, and Yorkshire Building Society.
We sat down with Mike to find out what drew him here, how he works, and what he's most excited about.
I'm honestly incredibly excited to be here! I've only been in the US for just over two weeks, and it's my first time ever living in a new country.
The move itself was a long time coming; my wife is American, we met in the UK, and we've been navigating the green card process for nearly two years to make this happen.
Professionally, after nearly three years at WPP working on major brands like KFC, Legal & General, and Yorkshire Building Society, I felt I'd upskilled in every area I could and was ready for the next big step. Rise completely matches my ambition.
Getting to step up, take on fresh client challenges, and be a core part of the US team's growth right as we scale up is exactly the kind of journey I wanted to jump into.
How would you describe your approach to SEO, and what's the one thing you think most brands get wrong?
My approach is highly analytical but driven by a lot of energy and creativity, something I owe to my ADHD, which gives me a unique hyper-focus when parsing data points and spotting trends. I'm also always looking for opportunities to leverage AI to save time on execution, which frees up more of my bandwidth for deeper strategy and planning.
As for what brands get wrong (not our clients, of course!): many want major results but underinvest in SEO and content. Or, if they do invest, they don't maximise it. The biggest bottleneck is often execution; recommendations sit in queues instead of being implemented fast enough to catch the momentum.
What's the biggest lesson you're bringing with you into this role?
Understanding exactly how I work best. Over the years, I've dialled in my day structure, the specific tools and workspace setup I need to stay focused, and my actual work processes to match how my ADHD brain functions.
Bringing that level of self-awareness into this role means I am incredibly well-equipped to manage my workload effectively and deliver the best possible results for clients.
What excites you most about the US search landscape right now, especially with AI search shifting things?
The complexity. Optimising for visibility, clicks, and citations in an AI-driven search world is a great challenge, but I'm equally fascinated by the shift toward personalisation and platforms like Reddit.
Search isn't just about a standard Google results page anymore; it's about understanding how LLMs pull information and how to leverage community-driven platforms where real users are looking for answers.
What does success look like for you in this role over the next 12 months?
Fully integrating into the Rise team as an account lead, keeping clients happy, and consistently getting deliverables over the line. For me, success also means making sure we don't work in silos.
I want to share my knowledge across the agency and collaborate closely with other departments like PR to drive the absolute best results for our clients. Beyond that, I'm keen to play a part in new business opportunities, which is an area I've always really enjoyed.
Outside of work, what's something people might not know about you?
I've spent the last year learning chess, which has been a fun challenge. To unwind, I'm big into contrast therapy saunas and ice baths, and fitness is a huge part of my life, whether that's running, boxing, football, or training for Hyrox.
