Commerce Beyond Borders

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, Renee Hartmann and Chris Baker sit down with Michael Zakkour—founder of Five New Digital and Managing Director at The Sell Side Group—to unpack the biggest transformations shaping global commerce.

From platform commerce and immersive video strategies, to the rise of creator-driven retail and the collapse of traditional loyalty, Michael offers a sharp, forward-looking view of what’s next i...

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, hosts Renee Hartmann and Chris Baker sit down with Vincent Diallo, venture capitalist, Investment Partner at Progression and General Partner at Interlace Ventures, to explore how commerce is being transformed—from the inside out.

Vincent shares his insights on:

• 🤖 The real impact of agentic AI on every layer of the retail value chain

• 🛍️ Why hyper-personalization and intimate data...

In this episode of Commerce Beyond Borders, hosts Chris Baker (Vancouver, Canada) and Renee Hartmann (Sintra, Portugal) sit down with Swagat Choudhury, Global Digital Commerce Director of the Perfect Store at Mars. With a background that includes years of global digital leadership at Diageo, Swagat brings a deep perspective on the evolution of e-commerce and how Mars is embracing the future.

They unpack what it really means to crea...

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. The discussion delves into Barbour's approach to global expansion, the nuances of adapt...

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 supply chains, marketing, and even travel habits.

You’ll hear firsthand insights from:

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 on how brands are reacting to geopolitical shifts, evolving economies, and consumer u...

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 vision are driving the next wave of retail automation 🔹 The rise of omnichannel strateg...

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 into Europe's approach to AI adoption, ethi...

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-efficiency and open-source approach—Dan unpacks China’s rapid rise in the AI ecosystem. Fr...

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 market—driven by companies like BYD, NIO, and XPeng—has disrupted the global automot...

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 pandemic forced rapid digital transformation, citing examples like Best Buy's swift implemen...

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 ...

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 evolution of consumer experiences. The conversation explores innovation in digital com...