Calling Mr Jones
Tatler Singapore|June 2022
Ben Jones has big plans for Singapore and beyond. The Mandala Group co-founder and CEO is hard at work cultivating a new age of culture driven by community, an appetite for risk, and a little bit of rock and roll
Coco Marett
Calling Mr Jones

Belonging to a private members’ club has long been a unique representation of wealth and power in Asia—particularly during the 1980s and 1990s, the elite couldn’t get enough of their local country club’s slatted plastic deckchairs and poolside club sandwiches (that were mediocre, at best).

Now, there’s a new breed of private members’ club that caters to the next generation’s appetite for culture and community. More substance than a status symbols, these spaces serve as conduits for creativity through programmes that revolve around the arts, current affairs, and networking, alongside exclusive, intimate experiences.

One such establishment is Mandala Club, owned by Singapore‑based real estate and events company Mandala Group. “Everything we do is blanketed in the human need for meaningful connection, whereby we can create depth of community,” says Ben Jones, the co‑founder, and CEO of Mandala Group. “If you’ve got 2,000 members and they don’t know one another, it’s not a community—it’s just a group of people. Our job is to facilitate genuine connection.”

In 2021, Mandala Group officially acquired and renovated the 22,000 square feet, four‑storey heritage shophouse at Bukit Pasoh that was formerly Straits Clan, a private members’ club that paid tribute to Singapore’s clan associations. After taking over the space from home‑grown hospitality company The Lo & Behold Group, it officially rebranded the property as Mandala Club.

This story is from the June 2022 edition of Tatler Singapore.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the June 2022 edition of Tatler Singapore.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM TATLER SINGAPOREView All
Mathew Leong
Tatler Singapore

Mathew Leong

As the Norway-based Singaporean chef celebrates a milestone year both personally and professionally, he opens up about the toughest moments of his career and why failing is not an option

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
Asian Inspirations
Tatler Singapore

Asian Inspirations

Chef Ace Tan on his second restaurant, Asu-his love letter to regional Asian cuisine

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
State of the Arts
Tatler Singapore

State of the Arts

Arts nominated member of parliament Usha Chandradas discusses growing the creative economy by focusing on both supply and demand

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Through a Curator's Lens
Tatler Singapore

Through a Curator's Lens

Circe Henestrosa, a fashion curator and the head of the School of Fashion at Lasalle College of the Arts, University of the Arts Singapore, merges her personal connection with artist Frida Kahlo with her extensive curatorial experience to explore intersecting themes of identity, disability and cultural heritage

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
Second Nature
Tatler Singapore

Second Nature

Poet and educator Yong Shu Hoong brings fresh perspectives to the helm of the Singapore Writers Festival, from interdisciplinary perspectives to multilingual programmes

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
Wine Down
Tatler Singapore

Wine Down

Nothing wraps up the day like a nice glass of vino. From flashy hedonistic escapades to geeky watering holes, these new wine bars promise celebrated viniferous pours that will please even the most discerning of oenophiles

time-read
3 mins  |
November 2024
A Legacy in Silhouettes
Tatler Singapore

A Legacy in Silhouettes

Kristina Blahnik, CEO of the designer shoe brand Manolo Blahnik and the niece of its legendary founder, shares her insights on preserving the house's heritage and introduces the new Manolo's Silhouettes campaign

time-read
4 mins  |
November 2024
To Have and to Hold
Tatler Singapore

To Have and to Hold

With its sumptuous textures, Loro Piana's elegant autumn/winter 2024 collection is a chic celebration of craft, quality and the universal appeal of tactility

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Scent of Strength
Tatler Singapore

Scent of Strength

Hermès unveils its first chypre perfume, Barénia―a captivating fragrance crafted by renowned perfumer Christine Nagel that embodies bold femininity and celebrates the brand's rich heritage

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024
Nocturnal Revival
Tatler Singapore

Nocturnal Revival

Nighttime skincare rituals will get a boost of supercharged restoration with La Mer's new Rejuvenating Night Cream

time-read
2 mins  |
November 2024