When I first met Mahavir and his brother, Dev, they were preparing to develop their first new-build lifestyle hotel in Gatlinburg, Tennessee—a market better known for pancake houses, Dolly Parton, and rustic motels than cutting-edge hospitality. It wasn’t the typical setting for a bold hospitality venture, but that’s what made it interesting.

The private club scene has undergone a remarkable transformation in recent years, shifting its traditional exclusivity to embrace a younger, more diverse membership base.

Mark Somen, a strategic advisor for hospitality consulting firm Craft House, says that, aside from club amenities, the personalities behind some of the most popular clubs can also be a draw.

Just when you think London has met its quota of private members’ clubs, along comes another. And yet The Conduit is not like any other.

What do you get if you combine one global justice expert, one ethical investment chief and an eight-floor building in Mayfair? London’s most right-on members’ club, that’s what. 

The Conduit, his latest project, is an invitation-only members’ club in Mayfair with a difference. It is due to open this summer with top chefs, sustainably sourced ingredients, a late-night speakeasy — and a programme focused on social and environmental change.

Some appointments feel inevitable. After five years as a Partner at Craft House, Mark Somen has been appointed CEO of The Conduit in London — one of the most anticipated private club openings in years. The relationship doesn't end here. It evolves

There are people who work in hospitality. And then there are people who understand, at a fundamental level, what hospitality is actually for. Mark Somen is firmly in the second category. And we are proud to welcome him to Craft House