Dynamic Duos: Two sides of the same coin
This week in Dynamic Duos, we hear from Meta ANZ's head of connecting planning Helen Black and strategy agency partner Paul Balbo.
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.
Helen Black:
Paul and I have known each other for six years, but it wasn’t until he moved to Sydney that we began working closely together. Since then we’ve joined forces to elevate Australian brands, blending our vision and skillsets in everything we do. Knowing him on a deeper level, I can see how his passion and smarts bleed into everything he sets his mind to — be that his work, his relationships with his friends and family, or his skincare routine.
To sum up my dynamic with Paul, I’d say we are like two sides of the same coin or ‘Yin and Yang’. We are quite different from each other, but our differences are what make our partnership work – we prop up each other’s strengths and fill in the gaps. I trust him completely, and the more closely I work with him, the more that trust builds. There is no second guessing when we collaborate, it’s as if we’re tuned into the same frequency.
I really admire Paul’s unwavering positivity, especially in an industry that can have its moments. He’s the kind of person who doesn’t take no for an answer and always looks for creative ways to overcome challenges. He somehow manages to juggle the demands of our work and still make everyone feel supported. It’s motivating to be around him because you know he’s giving his all, and it pushes me to do the same.
Paul has this remarkable ability to bring a fresh perspective to everything he does. Whether it’s brand strategy, forming an agency partnership, or conceptualising ideas, his approach always feels new. Paul will stop at nothing to get the best outcome.
On top of that Paul is one of the nicest, most genuine people you’ll ever meet. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, he doesn’t just get results, he builds lifelong friendships.
Paul Balbo:
Even before moving to Sydney and having the opportunity to work with Helen, I always admired her charisma. She’s one of those people who just makes everything more fun, and now that I get to collaborate with her more closely, it’s a real pleasure to learn from her every day.
Helen is an endless fountain of knowledge and the secret ingredient behind some of our most successful projects at Meta. We work together on lots of brand projects, which is an area we both absolutely love. She’s got such a wealth of experience and it’s been amazing to learn from each other.
The thing I love most about Helen is her calm energy, alongside her quick wit and impeccably spot-on sarcasm. She never fails to make me laugh. She’s the type of colleague you can always rely on — no matter how big or small the challenge, she’s got a solution. She knows how to lighten the mood with a perfectly timed pop-culture reference, but then gets right back to business, handling whatever needs to be done. It’s that balance of being grounded and super strategic that makes her such a huge asset to the team.
I saw this firsthand when we worked together on a major event last year. Some last minute problems came up, and it put the whole team under a lot of pressure. But Helen didn’t hesitate for a second — she immediately jumped in, flew down to Melbourne to be there in person, and started working with me and the team to find solutions.
She’s always super honest with me, and I love that. If I get too caught up in my own head or ideas, she’ll gently bring me back down to earth in the best way. One of the things I also love about her is her willingness to give honest advice. We’ve developed such a great relationship, I can speak to her about everything at work and things outside of our professional life, like my love for skincare and all things self-care.
Even though we might seem like opposites at first — Helen’s more calm, while I tend to bring the chaotic energy– I love how strong our bond has become. We’ve built a solid trust, and we’re both committed to always delivering our best work together.
Helen on Paul:
Most memorable moment with Paul: Last year, we had just six weeks to bring to life a huge series of events across Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane. Inspired by Meta’s Cannes Lion beach event hosted by none other than Paris Hilton, we brought ‘Meta Beach’ to hundreds of Australian advertisers (sadly minus Paris). The hustle was real, but the atmosphere was electric on the day.
I was impressed by how Paul was able to seamlessly be on top of it all. A true born social butterfly, he was instrumental in bringing our network of partners together. I don’t think there is anyone in the industry Paul doesn’t know!
Best word to describe him: Unstoppable.
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour he has: Paul cares very deeply. He is one of the most thoughtful people I know and is always willing to go the extra mile for others. Even if you mention an idea to him in passing, you can be sure that he will come back to you the following day with at least ten different ways to bring that idea to life.
Paul on Helen:
Most memorable moment with Helen: Experiencing Helen’s save-the-day attitude at an industry event last year has to be one of the highlights. Just seconds before jumping on stage and presenting to the crowd, Helen was hiding behind the curtains, making the last final tweaks to the presentation the team was about to deliver — calmly and collectedly ensuring it was just perfect in spite of the inevitable last minute changes that live events always bring.
Best word to describe her: Problem solver.
Most annoying habit or endearing behaviour she has: Helen is truly a powerhouse and the embodiment of a team player. She is an incredible mentor and confidante, always ready to step in and lend a hand, juggling multiple responsibilities while never compromising on standards.
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Lauren McNamara was the associate editor at Mumbrella. She joined in November 2022 as editorial assistant, after completing a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) at UTS. She left Mumbrella in August 2025.
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