Dynamic Duos: ‘Over those 20+ years, your lives are very different, but they mould together’
This week in Dynamic Duos, Zenith Australia's chief investment officer, Elizabeth Baker, and Publicis Media Exchange's chief executive officer, Anthony Ellis, reflect on meeting in 1997 and starting their careers together fresh out of university, to now working side-by-side as leaders at Publicis Groupe.
In Dynamic Duos, Mumbrella each week asks two colleagues with a professional and personal affiliation to share with readers the importance of workplace relationships in an increasingly hybridised world of work.
Elizabeth Baker:
I met Anthony in 1997. We both started at the same time in our first job out of university as media coordinators at George Patterson Bates, which unbundled its full-service offering to launch Zenith Media Australia (now EssenceMediacom).
In those days, the job was heavy administration. Confirmation checking, loading all spots manually, material instructions, dispatch etc. Me, being a detail-oriented and precise person, made only a couple of mistakes, whereas Anthony made more than a few! (Laughs).
Account queries were delivered by scary finance people in person on an ominous piece of paper with a 48-hour turnaround deadline. One of my first experiences with Anthony was him coming over to me with account query paper in shaking hand and asking me, ‘What do I do with this?’
He then left to experience life in London for a bit, before our paths crossed again when I joined Optimedia (now Zenith) in 2003. We were colleagues for many years, then he was my boss, and then he moved into PMX, which again changed the way we work together. But we’ve worked side-by-side all that time.
While I’m quite technically minded – analytical and mathematical – he’s a big picture thinker, which complements each other well.
We also just really trust each other. Because we’ve worked together for so long, a lot of it closely, he really did feel like my work-husband at times. That kind of bickering relationship. But I think by challenging each other, we always got to a better place from the banter.
Anthony Ellis:
Lizzie and I started work in the same week in 1997 for George Patterson Bates, and then on to Zenith Media (which is now EssenceMediacom). We were both straight out of university, fresh faced and didn’t quite understand what media actually was (I thought it was a marketing role!). We spent those first two years really learning what media was back then, which was right when media was pulling out of full-service offerings. I do remember she was a lot smarter than me!
I then went to London for two years and when I came back, I started at Optimedia, which is now Zenith. Just over a year later Lizzie came onboard, and we’ve worked together ever since. That was 2003.
At Optimedia/Zenith, we were group investment directors together, running different bits of businesses, before I moved into the Sydney head of investment role. At some stage along the way, I moved into the national head of investment role, and she took on the Sydney role. Then, when I became managing director of PMX four years ago, she moved into the chief investment officer role and began running the agency’s investment offering. All up, we were together at Zenith for 17 years. That comes to 23 years of tackling challenges together.
We’ve had a great working partnership. She is a super intelligent person, very much focused on the detail, while I’m quite driven and like to move quickly. We have differing styles, but as a team we’re very strong because I trust her implicitly. At Zenith, this trust enabled me to make decisions really quickly and know that they were right. She’s very credible and humble in how she conducts herself, and that conveys absolute trust with clients and with me.
Elizabeth on Anthony:
Most memorable moment with Anthony: It’s hard to think of just one when you have known each other for so long!
One memory that came to mind was when we won a significant piece of business back in 2009. We’d been working day and night on the submission. It was right at the time the landscape in television was completely changing, so all the networks were launching their multi-channels. We just weren’t sure what that would do to pricing and audiences. We really took a punt in our submission, and we won it.
That moment when we realised, ‘Oh my god, we’ve won it!’ was an amazing memory together.
Another moment was when he was promoted into the managing director role for PMX. I was so incredibly happy and proud of him, because he thoroughly deserved it. Then again, recently, when he was made CEO of PMX. That elevation was such a testament to the incredible job he does. I was truly delighted for him.
Best word to describe him: Loyal was the first word that came to mind. He’s loyal to the business, but he’s also truly loyal to the people he cares about. He always has their backs. Additionally, he’s incredibly trustworthy. I know that anything shared in confidence – both personal and professional – stays confidential.
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour he has: He is unbelievably stubborn. He often has a very clear idea of how he wants things done and doesn’t like to deviate from that.
On the endearing side, I love his sense of humour. He loves a dad joke, and he brings to the office that perfect balance of working hard and being serious, with having fun and being funny.
Anthony on Elizabeth:
Most memorable moment with Elizabeth: Working closely with someone for so long, there have been many moments both high and low. Over those 20+ years, your lives are very different, but they mould together somewhat because you go through so many challenges and life stages together.
One of the memorable highs was when Lizzie became a mum. The joy that I saw that bring her. Selfishly, it was a challenge for me to adjust, as I didn’t have that trusted sidekick to lean on. But to see the focus of her universe totally change was an amazing thing, and I was incredibly happy for her through that.
Best word to describe her: There’s two words. Painful, but in a nice way, because she can’t move on from anything unless the detail is right.
And caring, because she really cares about her team and media relationships. How people feel matters deeply to Lizzie, and she is fiercely loyal.
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour she has: One annoying habit that comes to mind is her need to always be right. She usually is, to be fair. But on the odd occasion I have managed to out argue her, she will shift from a logical argument to something along the lines of, ‘Well, that may be the case, but you know that what I’ve said is the right thing to do’. I have just conceded to the fact that I can never win.
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Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the creative and PR beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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