City Shaper: Michael Tuck, Colliers

ixed-use precincts to large-format retail and tenant advisory. At its core, my job is simple: we help clients create retail places that thrive. Not just on paper, but in the real world, commercially, culturally and sustainably, long-term. We’re not just leasing space; we’re shaping places people want to visit, enjoy and, most importantly, spend their hard-earned dollars. At Colliers, we’re not just another real-estate agency, we’re a diverse professional services business, with experts servicing clients along the whole real-estate life cycle, from urban planning, research and analytics to master planning, leasing, marketing, management and capital transactions. We’re your one-stop ‘shop’ for retail. Pun intended. SCN: How is your team prioritising experience-led growth over traditional retail? The word ‘experience’ gets thrown around a lot, but in retail today, it’s no longer a nice-to-have, it’s the deciding factor. If you’re not giving people a reason to show up, stay and come back again, you’re not really in the game. We focus on building energy into a precinct, combining great food, wellness, entertainment, and retail that feels fresh and relevant. The best precincts feel alive with their own identity, operating like an ecosystem. Transactional retail still has a role, but it can’t carry full weight anymore. The experience is what truly drives customer retention, for both in-store and online retail, where the synergy of omnichannel business has never been more critical. SCN: With the rise of vertical precincts, how are you integrating non-retail uses into your assets? Mixed-use is where it gets interesting, and where much value is either created or lost. In CBDs especially, retail can define a commercial asset. Retail is the front door and can be what gives a commercial building or precinct its identity. When it’s done well, retail creates gravity. It pulls people in, lifts the entire asset, and changes how a place feels. At 1 Elizabeth Street in Sydney CBD, we recently curated a melting pot of retail on top of what feels like an ant’s nest, with commuters pouring out of the brand-new Martin Place Metro Station below. We welcomed a range of brands, including Lune Croissanterie who unsurprisingly still have a line every day, Loulou French dining, and even Sneaker Laundry, where matcha sells out while they polish your favourite pair of Christian Louboutin’s. It’s a diverse precinct that serves a range of needs, price points and customers in a thriving CBD environment. Lune Croissanterie, Sydney SCN: How is AI influencing your real-time decision-making regarding tenant mix or operational efficiency? AI is fundamentally changing how we all make decisions. We’re using it to measure demand, track behaviour, and pressure-test leasing strategies in real time. However, AI doesn’t replace instinct and can’t replicate human connection. The combination of first-hand leasing experience, critically tailored questioning, and deep data is where the real advantage sits in AI, and it’s allowing us to move faster and make better decisions. SCN: What does a destination anchor look like to you in 2026? Anchors used to be about size. Now they’re about pull. I like to call it gravity. A great anchor in 2026 is something people actively want to go visit. Whether that’s a standout restaurant group, a wellness concept, or something immersive and a bit unexpected. It’s less about square metres and more about energy, and the ability to pull customers. The best anchors set the tone for everything around them. The key is relevance to the catchment and the ability to generate frequency, dwell time and cross-shopping. In many centres, a well-curated cluster of complementary uses can now outperform a traditional single department store. The opportunity for owners is greater flexibility – but it relies on getting the mix right. Pop Mart, Melbourne Walk SCN: How are your current ESG initiatives creating a competitive advantage for your assets? Sustainability and ESG have gone from optional to non-negotiable in many cases, especially in new-build CBD environments. The greatest change has been experienced by hospitality operators, where gas cooking is becoming rare. Restaurant operators who adapted early to embrace electric cooking are now well ahead of the game, winning lease tenders and thriving. What’s compelling is that the smartest ESG initiatives generally make commercial sense, lower costs, improve build quality and strengthen long-term value. It’s a great example of where doing the right thing and doing good business can be aligned. SCN: What is your philosophy on genuine partnership and shared-risk models? The old-school landlord vs tenant mindset doesn’t hold up anymore. The best results come when both sides of the lease are aligned and thinking long term. That might mean flexible lease structures, shared upside, or working together to build the precinct brand. At the end of the day, if the retailer wins, the asset wins. It’s that simple. Shared-risk models, flexible lease structures and collaborative marketing strategies are becoming more commonplace, especially in CBD environments, where retail may only be a small component of a commercial asset’s income. When landlords and retailers work together with a long-term mindset, the precinct performs better and remains resilient through market cycles. Park Street Diner, Sydney SCN: What strategies are you using to capture the growing nighttime economy? In CBD environments, in retail precincts that trade only 9 to 5, both landlords and tenants are missing out on extra potential. Sydney feels like it’s coming back to life. With lockout laws easing, George Street is buzzing every night, and there’s a sense of momentum in the city. Living in the CBD, I experience that energy firsthand, both in my work and in everyday life, so it’s an exciting time to be part of Sydney’s nighttime economy. Globally, CBDs are focused on stimulating that ‘late-night-city’ experience. I feel like Australia is still catching up on this trend and leasing strategies need to catch up with that also, but first it’s critical that councils and governments reduce red tape. Progress in policy, licensing and legislation needs to be a priority in all CBDs to attract more nighttime-focused investment from retail operators, both domestic and international. SCN: Which retail precinct, globally or locally, sets the gold standard for 2026, and why? The best retail precincts in the world don’t feel like ‘shops’, they feel like destinations. Places like Ginza Tokyo and New York’s 5th Avenue work because they’re constantly evolving, highly curated, and full of energy. There’s always a reason to go back, a gravity. That’s the direction we’re heading in Australia as well; less static, more dynamic. SCN: Looking back at your journey, what is the most significant way the skill set required for a retail leader has changed since you started? It’s refreshing to pause and reflect on where it all started for me – from representing retail brands directly, to transitioning into agency, and ultimately evolving into the national leadership role I hold today. The most critical skill in retail, in my view, is empathy. In agency, we sit at the centre of negotiations, helping two parties find common ground. Landlords are focused on rent and valuations, while tenants are driven by profitability and foot traffic, objectives that naturally push against each other. The ability to genuinely understand a counterparty’s perspective and objectives is what unlocks sustainable outcomes and creates truly vibrant retail precincts. As a leader, seeing our team members genuinely enjoy their work and take pride in the precincts we deliver is what I find most rewarding. Melbourne Walk SCN: What is the one piece of advice you would give to someone entering the retail property industry today? Don’t chase the big deal too early. Focus on mastering the fundamentals, understanding people, structuring strong deals, and building a reputation for doing the right thing. This industry is smaller than it appears, and people remember how you operate. Long-term trust will take you further than any single transaction. SCN: In three words, how would you describe the Australian shopping centre of the next decade? Experiential. Integrated. Adaptive. This exclusive interview was first published in SCN magazine – CBD Guns edition