Tiger bark ficus - how to promote back budding?

[anathens]

I am trying to style this tiger bark ficus. I want to bring the height down and promote back budding in the circled area. Where should I cut and what other advice can you offer to accomplish this goal?

 

[leatherback]

I would start off by getting this nice and healthy. And prune to the profile you want, removing all growing tips in late spring.

 

[Gabler]

To add to Leatherback's point, the more vigorously tge tree has been growing, the better the back-budding response you'll get. Plus, letting the tree grow freely will thicken the trunk quickly.

I got a matchstick-thick cutting to grow to an inch and a half (4 cm) in caliper in two years by setting the pot outside on the ground in the summer and letting the roots grow into the ground. When I chopped it back to a stump, it threw out new buds everywhere.