Changes at the top as Yorkshire SEO agency reshuffles leadership team

The SEO Works, a digital agency based in Sheffield, has appointed two new senior leaders in a move intended to future-proof a number of strong growth years.

The changes see long-standing head of SEO, Paul Friend, take on a new operations director role, with Elliot Stanion moving into the head of SEO role leading a 50-person strong SEO team. In recent years, the agency has seen impressive growth, and in June 2025 it transitioned to an employee-owned model. These senior appointments form a further part of these plans to achieve the vision for the agency’s future.

The move, effective immediately, aims to strengthen the leadership team and support growth plans, while simultaneously reflecting a commitment to building strong operations and staying true to values as an employee-owned business.

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Friend’s operations role will focus on service delivery excellence. He will partner with department heads to champion client retention and ensure seamless workflows across the agency.

He said: “I’m delighted to be taking on the role of operations director. My role will focus on supporting our amazing department heads and wider team to optimise delivery and retention, ensuring we maintain the high-quality service our clients expect, whilst staying true to our values as an employee-owned business.”

Stanion’s role as head of SEO will take off from where Friend left off, leading the 50+ strong SEO department at the agency.

Elliot added: “I’m ecstatic to be taking over the role of head of SEO – given how much experience and talent we have within the department, it is a real honour for me. It’s really exciting to be in a position where I can nurture and develop the SEO team. I’m looking forward to expanding on our impressive record of delivering digital growth to our clients.”

The SEO Works is an award-winning provider of digital marketing and websites for leading brands and prospering SME’s across the UK. It employs over 80 staff across SEO, PPC, digital PR, social media, and web services, and helps businesses to “measure, understand, and fulfil their online potential.”