The 35th Annual Cornell Real Estate Conference is pleased to feature Richard Baker (SHA ’88), Executive Chairman of Hudson’s Bay, and Laura Pomerantz, Vice Chairman and Head of Strategic Accounts of Cushman & Wakefield, as part of the How and Where We Shop Discussion. This discussion will examine where the current shift from brick and mortar retail to e-commerce, and the related disruption, will end, whether or not there is a synergistic solution or if this signifies the death of traditional retail, and what real estate owners and tenants are profiting amidst this disruption, amongst other topics.
Mr. Baker has served as Hudson’s Bay Company’s Governor since 2008 and also currently serves as the Executive Chairman of the Company. Hudson’s Bay Company was established in 1670 and is the longest continuously running retail company in North America. Hudson’s Bay Company operates Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord and Taylor, Hudson’s Bay, Saks Fifth Avenue Off Fifth and Home Outfitters. Prior to his current role, Mr. Baker was the Chief Executive Officer of Hudson’s Bay Company. Mr. Baker has also been the Chairman of Lord & Taylor since 2006. Mr. Baker owns National Realty & Development Corp. (“NRDC”), one of the largest privately owned real estate development companies, along with his father, Mr. Robert Baker. Mr. Baker is the Chairman of the Board of Directors for ROIC (Retail Opportunity Investment Corp) which is a REIT listed on the NASDAQ Exchange that focuses on acquiring retail properties on the east and west coasts of the United States.
Mr. Baker also serves or has served on several councils and advisory boards at Cornell University including the Baker Program in Real Estate Advisory Board, the School of Hotel Administration Advisory Council, the Center for Real Estate and Finance Advisory Board, and the Center for Real Estate and Finance Industry Fellows.
Ms. Pomerantz has served as Vice Chairman and Head of Strategic Accounts of Cushman & Wakefield since 2014. There she specializes in strategic planning and tactical plan formation, retail and office tenant representation, lease negotiation, acquisition and development, and equity investment. She has completed over 18 million square feet of commercial transactions for a wide array of well known clients, including Hudson’s Bay Company, Bloomberg L.P., Tom Ford, Giorgio Armani, and Guggenheim Museum, to name a few. She is the exclusive and national representative for Vince Camuto, Ted Baker/London, Levi Strauss & Company, Gant, Scoop, and Rebecca Taylor. Ms. Pomerantz is also Founder and CEO of Laura Pomerantz Real Estate LLC. Prior to that, she also founded and was Principal of PBS Realty Advisors and served as Senior Managing Director of Newmark & Company Real Estate. She also previously worked as Executive Vice President of the Leslie Fay Company for 18 years.
Ms. Pomerantz serves or has served on several business boards, including G-III, ROIC, a private Real Estate Fund Board for AREA Properties. She also serves or has served on several community and arts boards, including the Carnegie Hall Board of Trustees, the Board of Directors of the Richard Tucker Foundation, and the Board of Women in Need, amongst others.
The impressive backgrounds of both Mr. Baker and Ms. Pomerantz will undoubtedly provide capital insights into the current and future states of the retail sector.
The Cornell Real Estate Council and the Baker Program in Real Estate welcome all interested parties to join us for the 35th Annual Cornell Real Estate Conference. The theme of the conference is Real Estate Mega Trends, and discussions will focus on changes in where and how we live, work, shop, and travel. The conference will be held on October 13th at the Pierre Hotel in New York City. Registration is available through the following website: http://www.cvent.com/events/35th-annual-cornell-real-estate-conference/event-summary-edc5936d77d74de4b85a1be11aa8550b.aspx
