Sonica Aron, Founder & CEO of Marching Sheep, is widely recognized as the leading authority in Diversity,
Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) & Progressive HR processes, having spearheaded interventions for Marching Sheep
across 80 countries and over 380 organizations. An alumnus of XLRI, Jamshedpur, and a certified Coach, she
has over 20 years of experience at leadership roles in companies like Philips, AkzoNobel, Roche Diagnostics,
Vodafone and Pepsi.
Renowned for her bold, authentic and pioneering approach to enabling progressive DEI practices across
organisations, she has been recognized in various capacities, including being listed among Forbes India’s top 10
women entrepreneurs in 2020, Forbes India’s Most Valued Leaders in 2021, and Inspirational Leadership Icons
by Fortune India. Additionally, she has been honored as the Women Entrepreneur of the Year at the 62nd
National Summit on ‘Atma Nirbhar Bharat 2022’ by the Government of India and the recipient of the Gender
Impact Award by the American Embassy and featured among Asia’s top 100 power leaders.
Her esteemed position is underscored by her membership on the board of Gender@work India Trust and she is
a sought-after speaker at multiple conferences and forums, including Business World, FICCI, IIMs. Regarded as
a thought leader and trusted advisor, her insights are frequently featured in prominent publications such as
The Times of India, Hindustan Times, The Hindu, Live Mint, The Statesman, Pioneer, Business World and CIO.
Sonica has lead Marching Sheep’s collaboration with numerous organizations, aiding in the development of
long-term capabilities, diversity initiatives, and leadership strategies. Her expertise lies in DEI strategy on
driving Metrics that Matter; pioneered ‘21 Marching’ research on enabling PWDs x 15 countries; insighting on
women & LGBTQ issues across 5 continents x 40 countries and orchestrating tailored interventions for
organisation from strategy to execution and streamlining people management processes to achieve desired
behavioural & business outcomes. Notably, her focus on diversity interventions, exemplified by programs such
as Women@work and Unleash, has garnered widespread acclaim within the industry. Marching Sheep also
runs a DEI certification in association with Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry , India’s
apex industry body.
Sonica’s influence extends beyond corporate boardrooms. She works actively on ground with diverse
communities towards making a tangible difference at the societal level. She is associated with Non-profit
organisations for acid attack survivors, leprosy cured people, Multiple Sclerosis Association of India and with
the transgender community. She actively supports education and employment initiatives. She believes
organisations are a sub-unit of the society, and changes at every level are crucial. She leverages her voice,
writing and actions to drive positive change and inclusion in the society