Meet Ashraf

Ashraf Oozeerally is a seasoned strategic thinker, creative communicaions expert and brand consultant with over 30 years of experience turning complex challenges into actionable brand and business solutions. With a background in Business Management from Montpellier - France, his career spans journalism, communications, Change Management/HR, and brand consulting across diverse industries.

Starting as a business reporter in 1992, he quickly transitioned to leadership roles in communications and branding, before being headhunted in 1997 by DCDM Consulting (then affiliated with ArthurAndersen ) to launch a communications unit. There he was promoted to Corporate Brand Manager of DCDM Group, where he led Mauritius’ first national branding initiative by guiding relevant Government Agencies to shift from fragmented sectoral marketing to developing a nation brand platform.

A pioneer in Mauritius’ brand landscape, Ashraf was hence instrumental in introducing Nation Branding concepts to the country in 2001, collaborating with global experts like Wally Olins and Saffron Consultants. In 2004, he founded Eye-Dentity, the island’s first brand consultancy, and later partnered with global firms such as Landor.

In 2011, he launched OneEssence, a boutique strategic brand consultancy known for its holistic and transformative approach. Using his proprietary 720° PowerValue methodology, Ashraf integrates brand strategy, employee engagement, digital innovation, and business transformation in a unique Value Creation Paradigm. OneEssence has led major branding projects for Polycolor, Birger, CIDB, Polytechnics Mauritius, NSLD, and BAGNODESIGN, among others. He has provided brand strategy services for local brands like MCB, and SBM, (the island’s leading banks), Sony Ericsson, and BakeryLab while he has also been of value to global brands like Accenture, Shell, Supernan Energy Drink, Toyota and Veracitiz ( Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning).

He also collaborates as Business Development strategist with Re-Align Consulting in the field of BI, and Hapis Tech in Building Management Solutions arena by integrating IoT, Smart Technology and AI into commercial and residential construction projects. Ashraf is also a Director of Royal Properties - powered by Univentures, a niche Real Estate player.

He is closely involved in Islamic Finance with local and international experts. He works closely with Barnes Associates ( Audit/Tax/Advisory/Corporate Governence) and Hammersmith Management (Global Business) on promoting FDI and international projects.

As a born networker, he operates on the global scene by matching entrepreneurs with Private Equity investors, focusing on the Africa-Mauritius-GCC space. Along, with a network of established players in the local International Financial Centre, he elaborates a precise Mauritius Worldview with relevant international stakeholders.

Ashraf is committed to helping brands unlock their true Purpose and Value in an increasingly complex and tech-driven world, where Development, Empowerment and Eco-responsibility have to be aligned to create a better future and a safer Planet!