Oana was born in a small German-speaking community in Transylvania, to parents of Romanian, Greek and Yemeni background. After the fall of communism the family emigrated to Sweden. Oana studied macroeconomics before embarking on a varied career in the field, including roles as chief economist of a City financial institution, advisor to Romania’s Prime Minister, and writer for the Economist. In 2018 she took on the task of converting a heritage villa into a boutique hotel on the Greek island of Syros. She now divides her time between Syros and London.

Her debut novel will be published by Serpent's Tail in 2021.