Sedge Beswick is Managing Director at SEEN Connects. She was one of the first people in the UK to work within social media, and previously worked at brands including Asos and 3 Mobile.
Who is your digital hero?
For me, it’s a no brainer, Musa Tariq. I started working in social in the early days before it was really a thing and Musa was an OG but someone who really took the time to mentor and support others at a distance.
I had never met the man and he was sharing articles, giving me insight on platforms that have helped him. He has also worked for some of my all-time favourite businesses; Burberry, Nike, Apple and his career path always gave me the ambition to push myself and to be as brave in my role as possible.
What has he done to win hero status in your eyes?
Ultimately now, it’s the fact he gives back. He’s great at not just being another person in a senior role but he dedicates his time to support the next wave of talent.
And, then, obviously, that brand list in terms of his experience is brilliant and admirable.
How has his heroism helped drive digital?
Musa has a lot of firsts under his belt, the brands he has worked at have been heritage businesses with a lot of red tape but he can bring people on a journey with him and make them understand and believe in what being truly digital and innovative can really deliver.
What the biggest challenges in digital we need another hero to solve?
This is a great question! The funny thing given recent months is that there’s so many businesses who’ve wanted to be digital or thought they were on their however-many-year path to be digital and then overnight, you had to be digital or you wouldn’t survive so I think a lot of businesses are being tested around whether they’re actually truly digital currently.
I think now, looking ahead, the proliferation of digital platforms and their use brings with it a new set of challenges; how to use these platforms for good, if not regulation how do we as a community influence and drive the right behaviours that mean we can improve the sharing of knowledge and information as well as enhance wellbeing.
In short, I think we all need to be hero’s to advocate for our platforms and to use them in the right way.
What is your most heroic personal achievement so far in digital?
Ooo, my most heroic personal achievement? I would say for me, that is definitely a strong word. There’s so many fun experiences, interesting strategies, and campaigns I’ve been involved in or originated, most recently managing to pull off a Lewis Capaldi shoot during lockdown all through the joy of an iPhone.
For me, I think timings have really been on my side. Joining Three when social media wasn’t really a “thing” and there everyone was older, more grounded in their careers, and subsequently really supported and helped me.
I try to give that back so right now, I have mentored over 50 people in the UK to help them secure their dream roles, get paid the right amount and to elevate their careers. With that, I do quite a bit at universities across the UK from syllabus support to ensure digital is covered off correctly and to help lecturers know what they’re looking for and where to secure their materials through to guest lectures.
