Dynamic Duos: ‘He has grown to be my absolute confidant’
In this week's Dynamic Duos, we hear from Initiative's chief executive officer Jo McAlister and IPG Mediabrands' Geoff Clarke.
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.
Geoff Clarke:
My relationship with Jo is grounded in something special: unwavering trust and rock-solid dependability. In an industry where there’s no room for mistakes and only the highest standards are accepted, these qualities make someone stand out from the pack. Jo brings a steady, calm presence that makes even the most challenging days feel achievable.
Although the exact time and place of our meeting escape me, I can certainly reflect on our journey together. Over the past six years, alongside an impressive senior leadership team (SLT), we’ve transformed the media agency model. They say lifelong friendships are forged not during smooth sailing, but when life throws you curveballs. Initiative experienced just such a moment: a very public departure of several SLT members. However, this challenge allowed Jo to shine. Stepping up to take the reins immediately, Jo charted a new course for the company, bringing everyone along. As a result, the business not only recovered but now delivers an even higher standard of output.
One of the things that stands out most about Jo is her incredible selflessness. She always puts her team and clients first, creating an environment where people genuinely want to go the extra mile for her — not because they have to, but because they’re inspired to. Working alongside someone who leads with such integrity and heart naturally brings out the best in everyone around her, including me. Mutual respect sits at the core of our relationship, alongside a shared belief that real success happens when we lift others up along the way.
Jo’s leadership style is a rare and refreshing blend of compassion and decisiveness. No matter how tough the situation, she always pauses to think about the people involved before focusing on the problem itself. That human-first approach means better decisions and stronger teams — and it’s a big part of why she’s so widely respected and why I continue to count myself lucky to be on the same team as her.
Personally, working with Jo has been transformative. She’s always the first to remind me that while career milestones are important, family, health, and happiness should never take a back seat. It’s a perspective that I’m learning to embrace more and more, and I’m incredibly grateful for her encouragement on that journey. This was never more evident than when I received my cancer diagnosis last year, Jo’s leadership was exactly what I needed — clear, calm, and deeply supportive, giving me the space to prioritise my health without worrying about my KPIs.
Our partnership works not because we are the same, but because we bring different — but complementing — strengths to the table. Jo’s warm, intuitive leadership perfectly balances my focus on operational detail and efficiency. Together, I like to say we create a powerful team — one where challenges are faced head-on, wins are celebrated together, and every step forward is built on a shared commitment to honesty, growth, and mutual support.
Simply put, working with Jo isn’t just professionally rewarding — it’s a true privilege.
Jo McAlister:
Unlike Geoff I do remember our first meeting nearly 6 years ago. After 20 years client-side, Initiative was my first agency job, in my first week I was introduced to Geoff. I marvelled at his pristine three-piece suit and his polished manner in a sea of ripped denim and youthful coolness. He stood out.
Over the last couple of years, our partnership has really come into its own. Geoff is truly the ‘yin to my yang’, we complement and balance each other effortlessly. Geoff’s 30 years+ of media experience is his superpower, not much can happen on agency side that hasn’t happened to him before. I match his expertise with my client-side experience, so together we apply both lens to our current clients and new business approaches.
Geoff has grown to be my absolute confidant; we share a strong sense of purpose and a determination to achieve the right success for our agency. We appear very different people on the surface, but underneath we share so many similar values such as a strong work ethic, a belief in fairness, a curiosity to always evolve, plus we are both passionate about nurturing our team. Geoff excels at sharing his knowledge and finding the right forums to help our team grow in their understanding of media.
Geoff has his official title of COO, but he has developed a much bigger and more important role in our team and culture — as a mentor to our senior team and he is exceptional at guiding them through new business pitches and business challenges. I can’t begin to count on a weekly basis how many times I say “go ask Geoff”. His problem-solving approach is always thoughtful, yet I constantly smile watching his interaction with the team, he guides them but also pushes them to create their own solution. There is always his trademark bashful smile at the end, which reveals the pride he feels by helping someone else.
Geoff has been pivotal in the global transformation journey at IPG Mediabrands, he is an absolute workhorse and visionary rolled into one, he has produced new operational approaches with new technology and then can seamlessly articulate to the wider team how it should be implemented. There is no one better globally.
In the past year we have tackled so much together, reinventing and revitalising our agency’s approach to everything. He has shown unwavering loyalty, astonishing resilience, and a genuine passion for Initiative to forge new paths. I would truly be lost without Geoff’s steadfast partnership, plus we are constantly amused by each other because we are so different which I adore.
Geoff on Jo:
Most memorable moment with Jo: I was humbled and honoured when Jo surprised me at the end of year party with the announcement of a new annual award for best practice craft excellence in my honour. I am also secretly hoping that having this award in place will over time see more people coming to work in a three-piece suit.
Best word to describe her: Selfless.
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour she has: Jo’s most endearing behaviour is her ability to light up any room she enters with laughter and colour. You always know when Jo has arrived because there’s a sudden burst of joy and vibrancy. Her wonderfully bubbly personality, immense sense of humour, and outfits that showcase every colour of the rainbow brighten the day for everyone lucky enough to work with her. No matter the situation, Jo’s infectious smile uplifts and energises those around her.
Jo on Geoff:
Most memorable moment with Geoff: I make Geoff come to every quarterly agency party with the team. There is always an outlandish fancy dress theme, but regardless of the theme Geoff always turns up in his 3-piece suit and a smile.
Best word to describe him: Dedicated — to our business, our clients and especially to our team.
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour he has: GC has transitioned over a billion dollars’ worth of new business in his career!!! His opinion and feedback are gold in our pitch preparation. He makes sure he attends every meeting in the lead up to the client presentation and gives clear, honest and valuable feedback to make us better. Geoff’s input is something the team wait for and take on board immediately. He makes us a better agency.
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Lauren McNamara is the associate editor at Mumbrella, covering the agency beat. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS.
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