
Michael Baker
Michael Baker is a Sydney-based retail consultant and former head of research at the International Council of Shopping Centers.
From the author

Fun and community spirit: How Bangkok mall The Commons is winning right now
The Commons projects in Bangkok were developed specifically to build communities. Now there is a need for them more than...
May 24, 2022

How Korea’s big 3 department stores are killing it right now
Inflation and a recovery in the apparel category have the big 3 of Korean department store retail carrying on where they...
May 23, 2022

Analysis: A Japanese retailer with Lofty prospects
Loft is a home furnishings store that is hard to classify but should be easy to sell in various markets outside its nat...
May 16, 2022

Inside Bangkok’s sustainable lifestyle destination, Ecotopia
Occupying 2,000sqm of Bangkok’s Siam Discovery shopping centre, Ecotopia showcases the best parts of sustainable living ...
May 3, 2022

From great terror to great opportunity: The rebirth of Isetan
Department store closings were once the mall owner’s Great Terror. Now, they can be the Great Opportunity.
Apr 25, 2022

Meet Big C: The Thai hypermarket chain thriving in small cities
When your city can’t support a full-sized regional mall, Big C has got your back.
Apr 19, 2022

Can Japan’s Aeon become a global juggernaut?
In Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia, the mall industry is taking off. Aeon wants to be a bigger player.
Apr 13, 2022

Even Japan’s Takashimaya can’t escape department stores’ woes
The industry giant has had a decent start to 2022, but the nagging problems of demography and format obsolescence are no...
Mar 31, 2022

Lifting the logo: Inside the rebrand of Thai supermarket Lotus’s
The rebrand is well under way and markers of the transformation can be seen both outside and inside the stores, many of ...
Mar 29, 2022

Taken for a ride: Drivers bear hidden costs of online delivery
Food delivery riders were the unsung heroes of the pandemic. But the risks they have to take in the job are hardly worth...
Mar 22, 2022