Michael Bleby

Michael Bleby: Career Trajectory and Editorial Impact

Michael Bleby is a seasoned journalist with over a decade of experience at the Australian Financial Review (AFR), where he serves as Deputy Property Editor. His work bridges real estate, business strategy, and design innovation, offering readers insights into Australia’s evolving built environment. Based in Melbourne, Bleby has carved a niche in analyzing commercial property trends, housing market dynamics, and sustainable urban development.

Key Career Milestones

• 2013–2016: Joined AFR’s property team, focusing on real estate market shifts post-global financial crisis. Covered emerging trends in housing affordability and investor behavior.
• 2016–2019: Reported extensively on disruptive models like Purplebricks’ fixed-fee real estate platform, tracking its turbulent Australian expansion and eventual exit.
• 2020–Present: Elevated to Deputy Property Editor, leading coverage of large-scale commercial projects, including ISPT’s Brisbane precinct redevelopment.

Representative Articles

• Hotels operator IHG kicks off ISPT’s Brisbane precinct with Hilton rebrand This 2025 article details InterContinental Hotels Group’s takeover of the former Hilton Brisbane, a landmark project in ISPT’s AU$2.5 billion redevelopment of the Central Quarter precinct. Bleby analyzes the strategic rebranding within the context of post-pandemic tourism recovery, citing IHG’s focus on luxury business travel and ESG-aligned design. The piece highlights how institutional investors like ISPT leverage mixed-use developments to stabilize portfolios, blending retail, office, and hospitality assets. By interviewing project architects and hotel executives, Bleby underscores the economic ripple effects of such projects, including job creation and urban revitalization.
• Construction in 13th month of decline Published in 2019, this analysis dissects Australia’s prolonged construction downturn, linking it to tighter credit policies and investor caution. Bleby contrasts the RBA’s rate cuts with stagnant business investment, using data from HIA and NAB to forecast sector recovery timelines. The article’s significance lies in its critique of policy gaps, particularly the lack of incentives for sustainable housing initiatives. By profiling small-scale developers struggling to secure financing, Bleby humanizes macroeconomic trends, a hallmark of his reporting style.
• Purplebricks’ Australian roller coaster: A disruptor’s rise and fall Bleby’s 2023 retrospective examines Purplebricks’ failed attempt to revolutionize Australia’s real estate sector. Through interviews with industry insiders and former employees, he reconstructs the company’s missteps, including underestimating local agent relationships and overreliance on digital marketing. The article serves as a cautionary tale about tech-driven disruption in traditional industries, emphasizing the need for hybrid business models. Bleby’s access to internal documents and court filings adds investigative depth, revealing regulatory clashes and financial mismanagement.

Beat Analysis and Pitching Recommendations

1. Pitch Commercial Real Estate Trends with ESG Angles

Bleby consistently highlights sustainability in property development, as seen in his coverage of ISPT’s carbon-neutral precinct designs. Pitches should tie projects to broader ESG frameworks, such as green financing or energy-efficient retrofits. For example, his analysis of IHG’s solar-powered hotel upgrades demonstrates interest in measurable environmental impacts.

2. Focus on Housing Policy and Institutional Investment

With Australia facing a housing affordability crisis, Bleby prioritizes stories exploring innovative funding models, like build-to-rent schemes or superannuation-backed developments. Avoid generic market forecasts; instead, propose case studies on projects addressing specific demographic needs, such as student housing or senior living communities.

3. Urban Design with Economic Implications

Bleby’s reporting on Brisbane’s Central Quarter illustrates his preference for design stories that intersect with economic strategy. Successful pitches might explore how public infrastructure (e.g., transit hubs) influences private development or how adaptive reuse of heritage buildings drives tourism revenue.

Awards and Achievements

2022 Property Council of Australia Media Award

Bleby received this accolade for his investigative series on opaque commercial valuation practices, which prompted regulatory reforms. The judging panel noted his ability to translate complex financial concepts into public-interest narratives, a skill honed during his tenure at AFR.

2024 Shortlist: Walkley Award for Business Journalism

His exposé on construction insolvencies linked to fixed-price contracts was recognized for its rigorous data analysis and stakeholder interviews. The Walkley Foundation highlighted its role in sparking parliamentary inquiries into contractor protections.