Carlo McLeod is the Presidential Special Advisor and Deputy Head of the Upstream Petroleum Unit in the Presidency of the Republic of Namibia. In this capacity, he plays a pivotal role in shaping the strategic direction, regulatory oversight, and institutional transformation of Namibia’s upstream petroleum sector, under the direct authority of the President.

Mr. McLeod brings over two decades of multidisciplinary experience across the legal, public administration, and natural resources sectors. His career includes senior roles such as Deputy General Manager of Chevron Namibia, where he oversaw upstream operations in compliance with national petroleum legislation, and Deputy Director for Petroleum Affairs at the Ministry of Mines and Energy, where he provided legal and regulatory leadership in petroleum exploration and production.

He holds multiple advanced degrees, including a Master’s in Oil and Gas Law from the University of Aberdeen, a Master’s in Public Administration (Mines and Mineral Resources) from Mines ParisTech, and an LLB (Hons) and B.Juris from the University of Namibia. He is also completing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) at the Namibia University of Science and Technology.

Throughout his career, Mr. McLeod has served on various national committees and advisory bodies, including the Petroleum Downstream Licensing Committee, the MME Bidding Committee, and the Cabinet Liaison Committee. He is a member of professional associations such as the Association of International Petroleum Negotiators (AIPN) and the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE).

Mr. McLeod is widely recognized for his expertise in petroleum law, governance, and strategic public sector leadership. His commitment to transparency, national capacity building, and legal reform continues to support Namibia’s emergence as a responsible and globally competitive petroleum-producing nation.