Mumbai: A bold new chapter in integrated marketing communications has begun with the launch of OON, the world’s first women-led communications collective. Founded by seasoned industry professional Rekha Rao, OON brings together senior-level women from across disciplines to deliver top-tier, collaborative solutions in marketing and communications.
The name “OON”—a dialectal form of ONE in British English—reflects the collective’s unified purpose: to provide businesses with the best-in-class expertise while creating a platform for independent women professionals to connect, collaborate, and grow.
At the helm is Rekha Rao, a veteran with nearly three decades of experience across advertising, film production, PR, and corporate communications. Rao envisioned OON as both a service agency and a mission-driven movement aimed at reshaping the communications industry landscape.
“Over the years I have seen women navigating multiple challenges to thrive and succeed in the challenging punishing marketing, media, and communications industry. Many an exceptional talent either quit or take a break from their careers, and then struggle to fit back. This wealth of potential and experience with women who are already successful and the women who have immense talent but need the opportunity inspired me to create something unique—a format that can bring the women in touch with clients looking for expertise, experience, and dependability,” said Rekha Rao, Founder and CEO. “A collective of the 49.75% of the world that is women, OON creates shared opportunities for them while offering clients access to some of the finest professionals across industries. OON is not just an agency—it’s a movement.”
The collective comprises a diverse powerhouse of professionals: marketers, strategists, content creators, art directors, digital experts, journalists, filmmakers, brand consultants, influencers, and advocates from the LGBTQIA+, PwD, and sustainability sectors—each with over 15 years of experience. These women work independently as consultants, freelancers, or agency heads and now come together under the OON umbrella.
From branding and design to PR, digital marketing, reputation management, internal communications, policy advocacy, and sustainability communications, OON curates customized teams to deliver high-impact solutions tailored to client needs.
With its inclusive, agile, and collaborative model, OON is poised to disrupt the traditional agency format by making space for more diverse voices in strategic brand conversations—delivering results that are impactful, balanced, and culturally attuned.
“I am delighted to mentor this first-of-its-kind initiative. Oon is a collective of diverse skills & experience with proven expertise to offer holistic solutions for reputation & brand management that require a long-term communications strategy which straddles public policy, brand campaigns & reputation management & provides solutions & mentoring to drive purpose-driven business strategy for CXOs & leadership teams led by women leaders. Today the world needs to humanise brands and create long-term impact, build frameworks for responsible business solutions that integrate high-impact social campaigns & stewardship with transparency, ethics & governance. This platform gives a whole new meaning to set the balance right for business & communities.“ — Roma Balwani |Industry thought leader | Mentor, Oon
“Creativity is the algorithm that turns data into magic and business into art. We are creative brand architects who are the bridges that connect business goals to human emotions, and in this continuously evolving digital age, human connection is the ultimate differentiator.” — Amee Sanghvi| Creative Brand Partner, Oon
In today’s competitive and fast-evolving market, brands must do more than just exist—they must resonate, engage, and grow. In OON, I will extend my core expertise of helping scale businesses, while guiding brands to break through growth plateaus and achieve sustainable, long-term success. The interesting mix of professionals in OON, naturally lends to cross-functional collaboration organisations can leverage, and I am looking forward to ensuring the brands we work with don’t just compete—they lead, thrive, and set new industry benchmarks.— Anshul Mishra | Strategic Growth Partner | Scale-up Specialist |Marketing Counsel @ OON
“I’m happy to support this inspiring women’s collective by shaping authentic content, meaningful communication, and inclusive narratives that amplify voices and drive lasting impact.” — Anusha Subramanian| Award-winning journalist | Content Consultant | Inclusion Advocate | Strategic Content Counsel @ OON
“In today’s fast-paced business environment, start-ups and entrepreneurs require more than just a compelling idea to thrive. They need a robust public image and an effective communication strategy. A specialised Integrated Marketing Communications firm like Oon can be instrumental in helping these emerging businesses increase brand awareness, attract investors, and establish themselves as industry leaders. By working with Oon, organisations, especially start-ups can leverage this expertise to lay the foundations for long-term success and accelerate their growth trajectory.” — Dipali Sikand | Serial Entrepreneur | Women Empowerment Champion @ OON
Real story of Gauri Sawant, the character Sushmita Sen plays in ‘Taali’ | Times of India“Most corporations’ understanding and commitment to DEI stops at having a token diversity hire. At OON we help corporations navigate the multiple challenges they can face when formulating policies or attempting to integrate persons from the LGBTQIA+ community into their workplace. Being a collective of women with various specialisations, the counsel coming from OON will be well-rounded and will safeguard the intent and reputations of organisations striving to create a truly integrated workplace.” — Gauri Sawant |Transgender Activist | LGBTQIA+ Counsel @ OON
“The idea of a collective providing multiple perspectives to clients is a much-needed service to Corporate India. As a sustainability and DEI advocate and enthusiast, it is good to see Oon coming in to fill a space that is presently under fire. When the counsel provided brings in the expertise of a change management specialist, a lawyer, a journalist, and a reputation management practitioner, imagine the value of such well-rounded advice a client receives! This is what OON is all about, and I am proud to be part of such a unique initiative.” — Gayatri Ramanathan | Sustainability and ESG Storytelling Expert @ OON
“I am delighted by the coming together of this impressive network of professional women, a unique form of leaning in that enables us to learn, collaborate and succeed together. It’s good to see women increasingly recognize the power of networking but what I especially like about Oon is that it’s much more than that – an unusual women’s cooperative of diverse skills and multi-faceted experience; where we retain our individual identities and professional lives but can still come together as and when needed to offer an extraordinary gamut of services that frankly goes way beyond any traditional brand building agency. The permutations & combinations it makes possible are fascinatingly wide-ranging. Wishing more power to Oon and the talented women it brings together.” — Minari Shah | Corporate and Brand Narratives | Building Leaders of the Future | Corporate and C-Suite Reputation Counsel @ OON
“As an advocate of including marginal & diverse voices in climate & sustainability discourse, I am excited to be a part of this formidable ‘Oon Collective’. I am looking forward to supporting organisations, businesses, individuals & enterprises that are or endeavour to be true champions of walking the path of Conscious Sustainability and help align their purposes with what is of utmost urgency towards a better planet and all its residents.” — Nitisha Agrawal | Founder & Director, Smokeless Cookstove Foundation | Access to clean energy & climate adaptability for the most marginal communities | Climate Change from the Grassroots Specialist @ OON
“As part of OON, I feel privileged to stand alongside such remarkable women—born creators who bring their talents to the world with vision and purpose. The strength of this collective lies in our ability to uplift one another while shaping impactful narratives. With my background in consulting and geopolitics, I aim to contribute a strategic perspective that helps navigate complex global landscapes, ensuring OON’s impact extends across industries and borders.” — Pallavi Mutalik Hebbar | Consulting & Risk Advisory, Geopolitics, AI Counsel @ OON
“Coming from a place where empathy rules to bring partners on the same ground for mutual growth, where meaningful dialogues are based on data insights, and keeping it simple yet effective, these are the attributes women at OON bring to Integrated Marketing Communications. I see the rising need for leaders to be seen and heard, and my contribution to OON is helping individuals build their personal brand for success.”— Preeti Juneja, DreamWeb India | Personal Branding Counsel @ OON
“As OON, we harness the power of storytelling driven with the insight, resilience, and strategic vision that women bring to the table. We help businesses enter new markets; and shape narratives that build credibility. Through our capabilities in strategic communications, digital outreach, and market intelligence, we ensure our clients thrive with impact where it matters most.”— Dr. Rachana Chowdhary | Founder & CEO, MediaValueWorks | Partner, OON
“The pressure of the virtual and real worlds is exponentially stressful for most individuals navigating these two universes. As a clinical psychologist, I have seen coping mechanisms being stretched, and its effect is seen in both personal and work lives. As part of Oon, I help organisations build employee morale and trust by bringing in the understanding of the human mind, and helping formulate employee policies and engagement programmes which are genuinely impactful. The aim is to help in better retention and productivity, while being an organisation of choice for employees because of how you deal with your biggest asset, your people.”— Renuka Sanghvi | Mental and Emotional Health Counsel @ OON
As an educationist I see Oon as an excellent partner that can help schools shape into real nation-building institutions while ensuring they remain profitable. The right curriculum can shape a regular classroom into a smart learning room. The idea of unschooling schools is what we strive to do with communications amplifying these differentiators. The right understanding of the business of education with communications is a winner for extraordinary educational institutions setting themselves apart from the ordinary ones.” — Roopa Arun |Educationist | Policy | Institution Building | Education Industry Counsel @ OON
“Inclusion is a 360-degree approach—and strategic communication is its cornerstone. At Ashtavakra, we enable brands to walk the talk with authenticity, empathy, and measurable impact. I’m proud to join hands with OON, the world’s first women-led integrated marketing communications collective, to amplify inclusive narratives and drive systemic change through the power of purposeful storytelling.” — Dr. Sangita Thakur | Sangita Thakur – Founder, Ashtavakra Accessibility Solutions | PwD Counsel and Inclusive Communications Strategist @ OON
“Collaboration is the heart of innovation, and OON is a testament to what happens when experienced, independent women come together with a shared purpose”. As someone who has built businesses from the ground up, I understand the power of strategic communication in shaping brands and driving growth. OON is a culture that empowers, transforms, and delivers with unmatched expertise.” — Smita Uchil |Co-founder, Mavendoer | Digital Partner, OON
“Internal Branding and Employer Branding need the width of Integrated Marketing Communications to dovetail into the depth of HRM. With the acute talent crunch across sectors, communication can play a critical role in not only enhancing the value perception of the organisation in current and future talent markets, but also helps in building loyalty and engagement with existing talent. And this eventually translates into delivering business more effectively and profitably.”— Sowmya Raman |Organisational Transformation | Change Management Specialist | Talent and Internal Communications Counsel @ OON
“In a world that is becoming increasingly sensitive and intolerant, how and what corporations and brands communicate is even more hyper-critical. Oon recognises the need for communications to not just be relevant and impactful, but also on the right side of law. Having a legal lens on internal policies, stakeholder communications, and even the noblest of initiatives will help organisations avoid conflict and litigation. As OON’s collective of women professionals we come together to bring forth multiple perspectives to every critical communication you put out, so your reputation stays safe and intact.” — Talish Ray | Partner TRS Law Offices | Policy and Law | Legal Expert @ OON
“Joining OON is about more than representation—it’s about driving real change in the digital, tech and B2B space. As women in marketing, we bring fresh perspectives, challenge norms, and create space for the next generation of leaders. At Be Bold, we believe in the power of collaboration, authenticity, and courage to reshape industries. Through OON, we’re not just amplifying our voices—we’re building a future where diverse leadership is the standard, not the exception.” – Wei-Ling Chiu | Founder & Chief Client Engagement Officer, Be Bold | B2B and Enterprise Technology Counsel @ OON
