The following day, on New Year’s Day,
Sabrina and Ault exchanged vows with
only the presence of the official and
with no family members or friends
“on Venice’s finest gondola, which was
covered with white lilies and stocked
with fruits and champagne”.
It was what anyone would have come to
expect from a man like Ault.
Bridge. As my photographer takes
a few test shots, I decided to chat
with Phoenix, who is precariously
balancing an ice cream cone in his
right hand while seated on his new
BMX bicycle.
“Would you like some ice cream?”
Phoenix thrusts his hand out.
“No thank you. I prefer chocolate.”
The newly-minted Sabrina van Cleef
Ault would go on to become Ault’s life
and business partner, helping him to
grow both his brand and, eventually,
the family. The both of them happily
welcomed their bundle of joy – Phoenix
– in 2009. With the new addition to the
family, the Aults took stock of their
lives. “It became increasingly obvious
that our life in New York, a city that both
Sabrina and I love dearly, was soon to
end. Obviously, both our responsibilities
were heightened and our future plans
had to be more carefully considered,”
says Ault. So, in 2010, when the
Singapore Tourism Board invited Ault
to expand the Pangaea brand in the
mecca of millionaires – Marina Bay
Sands – Ault jumped at the chance,
setting up base here.
Overseeing a sprawling nightclub
empire is a 24/7 business, especially if
you consider Ault’s exacting standards.
He, however, is an ardent subscriber of
former US president Ronald Reagan’s
mantra – surround himself with the
best people he can find, delegate
authority and then, not to interfere as
long as the policy he has decided upon
is being carried out.
“You don’t like vanilla?” asks Phoenix,
clearly confused that there was
someone out there who preferred a
flavour other than vanilla. “Why not?”
I told him that there was no reason
to my preference and the five-yearold took that as a chance to try to
convince me of the merits of vanilla.
I had just met him not more than ten
minutes ago and here he is, playing
the role of consummate charmer, just
like his father does on an almost daily
basis. According to Ault, Phoenix is
enamoured of the clubbing experience
and loves the business. The fact that
Ault is the top dog whenever he enters
the clubs might have also played a
part with his son’s fascination. As Ault
reveals, “he is captivated by the way
the staff and guests treat me, and is
very eager to begin working and be
in charge”.
Phoenix also seems to have inherited
his father’s charisma and his mother’s
enchanting personality, easily forming
a strong affinity with lovely women
wherever he goes. Ault says with a
laugh: “He even flirts quite openly
with them!”
The trio regularly travel around the
world; Ault tries to bring everyone
along on his business and leisure
trips, clearly believing in Saint
Augustine’s famous quote that the
world is a book and those who do
not travel only read one page. Young
Phoenix has clearly benefited from the
frequent travels, possessing a social
skill-set that would be the envy of
many adults.
And frequent travelling is on the
agenda for the foreseeable future, as
Ault looks to expand his brand into
even more cities. The social set and
party people in Manila are already
eagerly tracking the construction
progress of Ault’s two nightclubs
while the busy Ault has penned deals
for more clubs to be built in Istanbul,
Dubai, Shanghai, Miami, Seoul and
Bali. More escapes, more rabbit holes,
more unforgettable nights.
The 50-year-old Ault, however, is not
planning to add to his own brood any
time soon, or ever, if he can help it. It is
not that he is being selfish. Rather, he
admits he is far too old to raise another
child: “I would like to be alive for their
college graduation and even marriage!
That is quite possible with Phoenix, but
not with a new baby.” Having another
kid would also curtail the jet-setting
Aults and that is a restriction Ault does
not want to impose on his family and
his massive nightclub empire.
It’s amazing how just a few decades
ago, a younger Ault was pulling out
his bed in his cramped New York
apartment and head to sleep, dreaming
of lavish nightclubs and a certain
Sabrina Randall. Now he has both but
he’s not planning to stop. The world
needs more rabbit holes and Ault, the
King of Clubs, is just beginning.
Just excuse him if he is a bit late.
After all, who arrives at a party on
time right?
“Much of my efforts are front loaded,
with an overall goal to ensure that
the choreography and execution
of each night’s party follow the
guidelines that were set in advance
of each night. If I have done my
job right, the amount of time
and effort that I put in should
be kept at a manageable and
sustainable level.”
Good news for his family then.
Home is a three-bedroom
apartment in Robertson
Quay, and Ault politely
requests for the photo
shoot to be at the
colourful Alkaff
Apr 2014 • Family & Life
9