Burger, Gouws and Vollgraaff join Legal 500 GC Powerlist
Old Mutual Namibia has announced that three of its senior legal professionals have been recognised on the inaugural Legal 500 General Counsel (GC) Powerlist: Namibia 2026, launched in the capital.
Charmaine Burger, Head of Legal and Company Secretary; Charmaine Gouws, Assistant Group Company Secretary; and Marco Vollgraaff, Head of Compliance at Old Mutual Namibia, were named among Namibia’s leading in-house legal professionals.
The GC Powerlist, published by Legal 500, recognises exceptional general counsel and senior in-house legal professionals who play a critical role in shaping strong governance, managing risk and supporting sustainable business growth in an increasingly complex regulatory environment.
The launch, hosted in partnership with Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr, marked the first time Legal 500 has introduced the GC Powerlist in Namibia, celebrating the growing influence and strategic contribution of in-house legal professionals across the country.
Commenting on the recognition, Burger said: “Being recognised on the Legal 500 GC Powerlist is a meaningful honour, both personally and professionally. It reflects the evolving role of in-house legal teams as strategic partners to the business, and I am proud to be part of an organisation that places such strong emphasis on governance, integrity and long-term sustainability. Congratulations to all my colleagues across Namibia who were recognised for their contribution to the legal profession.”
Gouws added: “I am honoured to be recognised on the Legal 500 GC Powerlist alongside such an accomplished group of governance and legal professionals. This recognition is both humbling and affirming. It reflects not only a personal milestone, but also the strong governance culture and support within the organisation I am privileged to serve. The event itself was exceptionally well organised and provided a valuable platform for meaningful engagement with peers who are equally passionate about leadership, governance and impact.”
Vollgraaff described the recognition as unexpected but rewarding. “This came as a genuine surprise, and I am both humbled and grateful to be included on the GC Powerlist. It is encouraging to see the work of compliance and financial crime professionals acknowledged in this way. Any recognition belongs as much to the teams I work with as it does to me, and it reinforces the importance of strong compliance frameworks in building trust and resilience within our financial system.”
Old Mutual Namibia was one of only two organisations to have three professionals recognised on the Powerlist, underscoring the depth of legal, governance and compliance expertise within the organisation.
The company congratulated all those recognised on the GC Powerlist: Namibia 2026 and expressed appreciation to Legal 500 and Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr for highlighting the vital role of in-house counsel in Namibia’s evolving economic and regulatory landscape.
