In this insightful episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, hosts Chris Baker and Renee Hartmann engage with Neil Parker, Managing Director of Global Distributors at Barbour. With a rich background spanning leadership roles at Gant, Crocs, Levi's, and Tommy Hilfiger, Neil brings a wealth of experience in steering brands through international markets. Th…

Renee Hartman joins Chris Baker from opposite sides of the globe — Galway, Ireland and Seoul, South Korea — to unpack the latest developments in global trade, retail innovation, and shifting consumer behavior. This episode dives deep into the growing uncertainty caused by tariff threats and how that’s already influencing decision-making across supp…

Welcome to another episode of Commerce Beyond Borders! This week, your hosts Renee Hartmann and Chris Baker sit down—just the two of them—for a candid, insightful conversation on the current state of global commerce as we close out Q1 of 2025. With both hosts recently crisscrossing Europe, Asia, and North America, they share firsthand perspectives …

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, hosts Renee Hartman and Chris Baker sit down with Paula Macaggi, founder of the OFFbounds podcast, to discuss global retail innovation. Paula shares insights from her travels across Europe, Asia, South America, and North America, exploring the latest trends shaping the industry. 🔹 How AI and computer visi…

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, hosts Renee Hartmann and Chris Baker welcome Michele Caruso, professor of AI and data marketing at the University of Paris Saclay and LIUC in Milan. Drawing from his extensive experience as former senior head of data and CX at WPP and as a consultant at Accenture and EY, Michele shares valuable insights i…

Join hosts Chris Baker (Hong Kong) and Renee Hartman (Portugal) on this week’s episode of Commerce Beyond Borders as they sit down with Dan Wong, AI Forum Director at the Conference Board, professor, and tech innovation veteran. Fresh off the buzz around China’s DeepSeek—a groundbreaking AI model challenging Western counterparts with its cost-effic…

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, hosts Chris Baker and Renee Hartman are joined by Tu Le, founder of Sino Auto Insights, to unpack why China’s electric vehicle (EV) industry has become a major source of anxiety for traditional automotive powerhouses like Germany and Detroit. The conversation delves into how China’s rapid ascent in the EV…

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, hosts Renee Hartman and Chris Baker are joined by Carl Boutet, a seasoned expert in retail technology, digital media, and AI. Carl, a faculty lecturer at McGill University and author of Blind Spots, shares his insights on the global acceleration of AI and its impact on retail. He discusses how the pandemi…

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, William Bao Bean, Managing General Partner of Orbit Startups, shares deep insights from his 28-year journey investing in emerging markets. Orbit Startups focuses on technology-driven impact across Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. Bao Bean challenges conventional thinking abo…

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, host Renee Hartman and Chris Baker sit down with Matthew Jung, global president of Jack Wolfskin and Topgolf Callaway Brands. Matthew shares his extensive experience navigating retail and marketing across Asia and Europe, offering unique insights into cultural transformation, brand storytelling, and the e…