Namibia 2026
Supported by the Association of Corporate Counsel
Group Legal and Company Secretary | Ongos Valley Development
Head: Legal Compliance and Company Secretary | National Disability Council of Namibia
Executive: Regulatory & Corporate Legal Services | CRAN - Communications Regulatory Authority of Namibia
Legal Advisor and Licensing Services | Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory (NAMFISA)
Manager: Legal, Complaince and AML | Mobile Telecommunications (MTC)
Anti-Money Laundering Manager(Financial Crime), Governance and Compliance Department | Letshego Holdings Namibia
Manager: Corporate Communications and Legal ServicesManager | Electricity Control Board (ECB)
Company Secretary and Senior Manager for Legal, Risk and Compliance | Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board
General Manager: Governance, Legal and Risk Management | Namibian Agronomic Board
Chief Legal Advisor and Company Secretary | Namibian Ports Authority
Head of Governance, Risk and Compliance | Electricity Control Board
Manager Legal, Complaince, Risk, and Compnay Secretary | Namforce Lide Insurance
Legal Director and Company Secretary | Namibia Breweries
Head of Legal Services and Regulatory Affairs | Telecom Namibia
Chief Risk and Legal Officer | GIPF (Government Institutions Pension Fund)
Head of Legal, Governance & Compliance, and Company Secretary | Letshego Holdings Namibia
Head of Legal Services an Company Secretary | Namibia Water Corporation
Chief Legal, Compliance and Risk Officer | Mobile Telecommunications (MTC)
On behalf of Legal 500, I am delighted to introduce the inaugural GC Powerlist: Namibia 2026. This first edition highlights the general counsel and in-house legal teams who play a crucial role in shaping Namibia’s corporate and legal landscape. Through our research, we spoke with professionals who not only provide expert legal guidance but also influence strategy, drive transformation, and support business growth. We were thrilled to receive a strong volume of nominations from Namibian law firms and in-house teams, reflecting the country’s dynamic and highly engaged legal community.
Across Namibia, general counsel are increasingly moving beyond traditional advisory roles. They are central to navigating complex and evolving regulatory frameworks, enabling innovation, supporting governance and compliance priorities, and guiding their organisations through periods of rapid change. The GC Powerlist: Namibia 2026 celebrates those who combine deep legal expertise with leadership, vision, and tangible impact.
Managing uncertainty and building resilience is a common theme. As Josephine Shigwedha explains:
‘Resilience is built through discipline, foresight, and integrity. By maintaining focus, remaining committed to excellence, and grounding all actions in the law, the legal function can serve as a stabilising force during periods of uncertainty.’
A complementary perspective emphasises operational discipline and accountability, as Wahliet Bauleth says:
‘I treat a crisis as both an operational event and a governance test… speed cannot come at the cost of accountability.’
Technology and transformation also feature prominently. As Shigwedha notes, automation is shifting legal teams ‘away from purely reactive roles towards more strategic, data-driven functions,’ while Bauleth emphasises that AI is a ‘force-multiplier in operational compliance rather than a substitute for legal judgment.’ Taken together, these perspectives highlight the strengths of Namibia’s in-house legal community: resilient, strategically minded, and forward-looking.
Legal teams are increasingly doing more than managing risk; they are helping shape business strategy, informing key decisions, and delivering measurable impact. The GC Powerlist: Namibia 2026 reflects this shift across the country’s legal community: from risk management to strategic influence, from technical advice to business impact, and from individual contribution to collaborative excellence. We are pleased to present this inaugural GC Powerlist in Namibia, recognising the legal professionals who are shaping the future of corporate law while connecting local insight with global influence.
On 9 June, Legal 500 hosted the launch of the GC Powerlist: Brazil 2026 at the Grand Hyatt in São Paulo, once again in exclusive partnership with Cescon Barrieu – marking the fourth consecutive year of collaboration with our longstanding key partner in the country. This flagship publication celebrates the most accomplished and influential in-house lawyers in Brazil, bringing together leading corporate legal professionals to recognise their outstanding achievements.
The evening opened with remarks from Francisco Castro, Research Editor at Legal 500 and editorial lead behind the publication. He highlighted the exceptional accomplishments of this year’s honourees and shared key insights drawn from the research and submissions process, including the prominence of certain industries, the continued expansion of in-house roles into executive and strategic functions, and the growing diversity, particularly the increasing presence of women in legal leadership positions.
This was followed by remarks from Alexandre Barreto, Managing Partner at Cescon Barrieu, who congratulated the featured general counsel and reflected on the ongoing evolution of Brazil’s legal and business sectors. He underscored the importance of recognising the in-house legal community and noted how the firm continues to adapt to the shifting demands of both clients and the wider business landscape.
With over 100 guests in attendance, including many of Brazil’s leading corporate legal professionals, the event once again demonstrated Legal 500 and Cescon Barrieu’s shared commitment to championing the country’s in-house legal talent.
Legal 500 extends its sincere thanks to Cescon Barrieu for their continued partnership, now in its fourth consecutive year. We are also pleased to announce our return to Brazil later this year with the GC Summit Premier, our new flagship platform for in-house counsel to exchange ideas, strengthen networks, and explore the key legal challenges shaping today’s business environment.
