Deputy Governor, Bank of Namibia. Former Director of the Financial Intelligence Centre Republic of Namibia; Legal Practitioner of the High and Supreme Court of Namibia specializing in Financial Services Regulation, Commercial Law, Central Banking, Criminal Law, AML/CFT/CPF Preventative and Combatting Policy, Legislation and Implementation Measures, and Corporate Governance.
Bio & Qualifications: Leonie Dunn was born in Rehoboth, Namibia to Namibian parents. She schooled in the regional areas of Namibia and are amongst Namibia’s first previously disadvantaged females who were awarded with the Law Society of Namibia Scholarship to purse the degrees BA Law LLB at the University of Stellenbosch successfully attaining same during the years 1995 and 1997 respectively. She further remains amongst the first previously disadvantaged Namibian females who successfully qualified as Legal Practitioner and practice as such in Namibia. Leonie is also a Chevening Alumni who with a Chevening Scholarship, attained her Master’s in Law Degree specializing in Commercial Law, from Cardiff Law School, University of Cardif, Wales UK in 2004 cum laude. Additionally, she attained specialised training in Financial Market Integrity Leadership, World Bank (2007), Executive Leadership Wits Business School (2010), Woman in Leadership, University of America, USA (2008); Advanced Executive Management at Harvard University Business School (2023), Other specialized training attained were in the areas of law, financial services regulation, financial inclusion, financial market integrity, financial stability, macroprudential oversight, digital transformation and innovation, and Anti-Money Laundering and Combatting the Financing of Terrorism and Proliferation prevention and combatting Policy, Legislative and Implementation measures.
Career and Experience: Leonie’s wealth of knowledge in law and financial services regulation, span from an impressive record as legal practitioner of the High and Supreme Court of Namibia. She practiced law both as attorney and State Advocate until July 2006 when she joined the Namibia Financial Institutions Supervisory Authority (NAMFISA) as a Legal Advisor. During her tenure at NAMFISA, her passion for serving and assisting less fortunate Namibians was evidenced by the huge success rate of settled claims between complainants and non-banking financial institutions against who claims have been registered. She remained with NAMFISA in her capacity as Legal Advisor until she was appointed as Director of the Financial Intelligence Centre. Her appointment as Director of the Financial Intelligence Centre made her the first female to occupy such position on the African continent and one of only ten women in the world who during appointment, held such position. Leonie was also appointed as first female Deputy Governor of the Bank of Namibia and in said capacity is responsible for the overall stability and integrity of the Namibian financial system by ensuring of effective prudential licensing and regulation of the banking and non-banking financial institutions, Bureau de Changes, Payment System Providers and Operators, Legal Services, Information Technology, Strategy, Projects, Digital Transformation and Innovation. Leonie also serves as Chairperson of the Bank of Namibia Provident Board of Trustees, and the Financial Services Sector Cyber Security Council. She also serves as a Director of the Bank of Namibia Board of Directors. She further in former capacity served as Chairperson of Board of Trustees of Orange Babies Namibia (a welfare organization), a member of the Board of Directors of NAMFISA and has been a member of the Law Society of Namibia since 1998. She also produced in Team Capacity various publications issued by the World Bank on Safeguarding and Enhancing Financial Market Integrity.
Leonie actively participates in community upliftment and passionately serves Namibia and her fellow citizens to the best of her ability as well as assisting the most vulnerable. She is a sports enthusiast and has made Zumba and Yoga her personal sources of fitness joy.
Her Life’s Moto is:
“In life:
• there is nothing which cannot be achieved, all it requires is hard work and determination;
• nothing is to be feared, only understood;
• there are no failures, just experiences and your reactions to it;
• serve with passion, dedication, respect, and serve without fear and favour;
• always give your very best regardless how miniscule the task;
• do all the good you can, to whomever you can, as long as you can; and
• do nothing which you should be afraid to do if it was th
