From business development to strategic growth
Shanice started at oona in 2015. Four years later, in 2019, she became an associate partner, in recognition of her growing impact within the organization. After years of building strategies & concepts for international ‘love brands’ such as Nike, Pepsico and Levi’s®, her focus shifted to business development. This included winning strategic pitches for Zalando, Gucci, Polestar and On Running. One of her biggest achievements was developing the Benelux influencer marketing framework for Samsung, where the brand integrated the power of influential communities into its strategy.
Now, as a partner, Shanice is helping to shape the future of oona. As such, she is working closely with Werner De Smet, CEO and co-founder of oona, on deepening the organization’s proposition and international growth strategy.
"As a community-first agency, oona wants to provide an alternative to traditional thinking. Classic agencies still over-focus on paying for reach. I strongly believe in the power of content created with cultural voices from relevant communities. The future belongs to brands with strong communities, which you build with an optimized mix between organic and paid content."
— Shanice Engel, Partner at oona
"At oona, I got the unique opportunity to help build the success of community-first marketing. Our agency has become one of the leading players in the field, something I am extremely proud of. Now I want to focus more on the strategic growth of the organization to further strengthen us internationally."
— Shanice Engel, Partner at oona
A new generation of aspiring millennials
At 31, Shanice is not only a young woman in a management position, but also a figurehead of a new generation of entrepreneurs. She knows what is happening in popular culture, has a strong moral compass and is exceptionally driven. Her mindset reflects the culture within oona, where entrepreneurship, creativity and inspiration from life - outside of work - are paramount.
oona's focus on building true Benelux composite teams further strengthened Shanice’s role. By temporarily leading the oona team in Amsterdam, she got to know the ins and outs of the different working cultures and communities within Benelux firsthand.
"Shanice is the real deal. Be it strategically, operationally or relationally, she always stands her ground. Her strong roots in popular culture, a solid dose of entrepreneurship and her exceptional commercial talent make her the perfect candidate to help shape the future of our agency."
— Werner De Smet, CEO of oona
