Dynamic Duos: Dentsu’s ‘bro-love story’
This week in Dynamic Duos, head of SEO at dentsu's iProspect, Jean-Yves Scauri, and associate director, data analytics at dentsu's Merkle, Adrien Gilles, discuss their shared love of racquet sports, special moments outside of work, and appreciation of each other's disciplines, all contributing to their bro-love story.
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.
Jean-Yves Scauri:
I met Adrien during his first interview at iProspect back in 2019. I was brought into the interview by Thomas Galluzzo (heading the data and analytics department at the time) as we worked closely together. Thomas joked I was invited because we were both French, but I’d like to think he valued my personal judgement!
I don’t remember asking Adrien many questions at all. I listened carefully to his answers and quickly formed a positive opinion of him. He made a strong impression, and I was sold after a few minutes. When you know, you know!
When Thomas asked if I had any questions to wrap things up, I just asked Adrien if he was any good at ping pong. He quickly replied, “I’m pretty decent.” He, of course, got the role, and he became a great colleague and worthy ping pong opponent.
Over the years working together we’ve developed a true curiosity and appreciation for each other’s discipline. Adrien remains my go-to for any complex analytics or GA4 query while I’m helping Adrien’s understanding of SEO and organic channels. Data and SEO goes hand in hand, and it’s really handy to have each other and ask dumb questions without being judged!
Our relationship goes beyond work. It didn’t take long for us to become good friends as we have a lot in common.
We both enjoy playing tennis, albeit not at the same level – Adrien is better than me (can’t say the same thing at ping pong though). We both have an appreciation for good food. Adrien makes killer crepes and sometimes invite me over for a BBQ and pool hangs (choose a friend that has a pool). But more importantly, we are there for each other through thick and thin. We can always count on each other for support, no matter what.
Adrien Gilles:
JY and I first crossed paths during my interview at iProspect, where I was applying for a junior data consultant position. The interview was meant to be serious, focusing on a business case, but to my surprise, JY ended up asking about my ping pong skills instead. At that moment, I felt a connection and knew we would get along well.
Relocating to another country, entering a new market, and working in a foreign language was for sure one of the most challenging experiences of my life. However, having someone like JY, who is French and understood what I was going through, was an incredible stroke of luck. I was immediately drawn to JY’s way of thinking—he’s a true competitor who always strives to give his best and never lets his team members down. His passion for his job is evident, and he has earned respect as a trustworthy national head of SEO within the business.
As a data person, I had the opportunity to be involved in different projects for various clients, and one of my favourite tasks was supporting JY and his SEO team. Although I have now moved on from iProspect to Merkle, our relationship remains strong. While we may not be working closely with the same clients anymore, we seize the opportunity to collaborate on new business and brand cross-selling initiatives.
Our bond extends beyond work, and we often catch up outside the office. We share a love for racquet sports, the perfect excuse for friendly competitions.
Over time, our connection has evolved into a genuine friendship – a “bro love story”. I know I can reach out to JY anytime for support, especially during the challenging times of the post-Covid era.
Jean on Adrien:
Most memorable moment with Adrien: Collaborating on the monthly performance report for our biggest client was a challenging but rewarding experience. We had to work hard to show value in a time of volatile performance, but we also had a lot of fun trying to understand the data and crack the code. The most memorable moments were the celebrations and parties with that same client afterwards, who became friends in the process. It was a true work hard, play hard moment!
Best word to describe him: Conscientious. Adrien takes great care and attention to detail in all aspects of what he does. Whether it’s at work striving for excellence or in his personal life, he gets the little things right!
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour he has: Adrien often cancels our ping pong lunch breaks. I know he is a hard worker and often busy, but I also suspect that he is afraid of losing to me.
Adrien on Jean:
Most memorable moment with Jean: JY and I went to two weddings of old iProspect coworkers. It was awesome to catch up and share those special moments outside of work, building real friendships beyond the office. One of the weddings even took us to Byron Bay, giving us the chance to share a BnB and take a break.
Best word to describe him: JY’s passion for his work is contagious. He never lets you down and always goes the extra mile to help, whether it’s at work or outside. Being around him is nice because of his positive energy. He just makes you feel good!
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour he has: JY is the worst when it comes to handling his personal life admin! He almost got booted out of Australia, just because he forgot to renew his visa.
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Lauren McNamara is a journalist 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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