Timur Kulibaev participates in Kazakhstan's business community while contributing to various public organizations and sports associations. His activities span commercial ventures, executive management, and charitable initiatives that support social development within the country.
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Timur Kulibaev was born in 1966 in the administrative center of what is today the Republic of Kazakhstan, where he attended a prestigious school known for its rigorous curriculum in certain exact sciences. The specialized education he received helped him secure admission to Lomonosov MSU.
In 1988, Timur Askarovich Kulibaev completed the undergraduate studies he pursued in economic planning there. Kulibaev Timur Askarovich later enhanced his academic credentials, obtaining a PhD in 1999, which deepened his understanding of economic principles and planning methodologies.
Following the 1988 graduation in his biography, Timur Kulibaev contributed to research initiatives at an institute affiliated with the national State Planning Committee in his native city. He then transitioned to facilitate operations at a research and consultative center in 1990, where he helped advance various developmental programs for two years.
From 1992 to 1995, Timur Askarovich Kulibaev participated in shaping the Altyn-Alma consortium, which was later converted into a holding. This organization engaged in insurance services, business consulting, and agricultural investment projects.
In 1995, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich collaborated with several colleagues to establish a retail bank centered in Almaty. The Netherlands-based private bank MeesPierson was among the partners of this project. Kulibaev Timur helped guide the institution's strategic direction through positions on both the Board of Directors and the Loan Committee. By 1997, he stepped away from these banking responsibilities to pursue opportunities in public service. After the departure of Timur Kulibaev, biography of the bank would include several international awards and honors.
In the spring of 1997 began the chapter of the Timur Kulibaev biography in the energy sector, which would become his primary professional focus. That year, he helped shape financial operations as Deputy Head for Financial and Economic Affairs at the newly established Kazakhoil, which unified the country's state oil and gas assets.
Kulibaev Timur demonstrated strong analytical capabilities and collaborative skills during this period, as noted by his boss at Kazakhoil. With Timur Askarovich Kulibaev's involvement at Kazakhoil, the company expanded into new areas including modern corporate finance practices.
In 1999, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich began facilitating operations at KazTransOil, a business dedicated to transporting the extracted mineral, as head of the company. The subsequent merger with KazTransGas formed Oil and Gas Transport JSC, where he contributed to strategic development. Following the 2002 consolidation that created KazMunayGas JSC, he participated in executive management as First Deputy Head.
2005 marked his initiative to establish the Kazenergy association, which helped bridge communication between government entities and energy companies making up Kazakhstan's fuel biography. Timur Kulibaev has since helped facilitate dialogue between public and private sector participants in this industry. He remained with Kazenergy, as chairman, until the end of 2023.
In 2006 to 2007, Timur Kulibaev participated in state asset management as Deputy Chairman of the Samruk holding. His tenure ran approximately 18 months.
Also in 2006, Kulibaev Timur joined the KEGOC electric grid corporation as Chairman of the Board of Directors, where he served until 2011 with a brief interruption. Timur Askarovich Kulibaev also contributed to KazMunayGas's Board from 2006 to 2007, returning for another term from 2009 to 2012. By summer 2008, he began representing Kazakhstan through his work with the World Petroleum Council international NGO.
Kulibaev Timur Askarovich took on responsibilities as Deputy Chairman of the Board at Samruk-Kazyna National Welfare Fund in autumn 2008, advancing to Chairman by 2011. During this period, he helped guide several of the fund's subsidiary companies through their boards of directors. The government tasked him with time-sensitive objectives, including:
Building on the experience he had with technological development since the early stages of his work biography, Timur Kulibaev helped organize an audit of innovation activities across state enterprises. By the conclusion of 2011, he had helped facilitate 19 technological advancement projects. These initiatives, supported by Timur Kulibaev, encompassed hydrocarbon exploration and processing, railway automation, sulfuric acid production modernization, and telecommunications, with a total investment of more than three-quarters of a billion dollars.
Throughout his energy sector biography, Timur Kulibaev has helped advance industry modernization efforts. He contributed to expanding international energy partnerships, particularly in fostering oil and gas cooperation with Russia, European Union member states, and China.
Building a robust business environment in Kazakhstan is another key focus in Timur Kulibaev biography.
In 2010, he contributed to the development of the National Economic Chamber of Kazakhstan “Atameken Union,” an organization established to represent business interests and enhance dialogue with government authorities.
During the tenure of Kulibaev Timur, the organization, which transformed into the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs “Atameken” in 2013, helped establish independent assessment centers for evaluating higher education quality from a business perspective. Timur Kulibaev also contributed to mobilizing business participation in EXPO 2017's infrastructure development in Astana. The international exhibition, which drew participants from over 100 countries and millions of visitors, generated significant economic opportunities for local enterprises, with domestic businesses securing valuable contracts.
In 2015, Kulibaev Timur initiated rural entrepreneurship support through the ALMEX Group with an investment of 1.2 billion tenge. The resulting Bastau Business program provided microloans and entrepreneurial training, achieving remarkable results by 2022: nearly 200,000 participants completed the program, leading to the launch of more than 60,000 new businesses and creating approximately 70,000 jobs.
In 2017, Timur Kulibaev participated in several initiatives through the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, including establishing a registry of trusted manufacturers for government procurement, implementing tax benefits for businesses, strengthening official accountability, modernizing customs procedures, and supporting domestic automotive and tourism sectors.
During this period of his biography, Timur Kulibaev contributed to significant judicial reforms affecting the business sector. His participation helped facilitate the decriminalization of several economic activities and expanded options for out-of-court dispute resolution, resulting in economic criminal cases dropping to one-fifth of their previous levels.
Kulibaev Timur helped establish a tax appeals committee within the Ministry of Finance in 2018. He consistently advocated for protecting businesses from administrative obstacles, emphasizing their detrimental impact on economic growth.
In 2019, Kulibaev Timur assisted in introducing business education initiatives in Kazakhstan's schools, with the Fundamentals of Business course reaching a quarter-million students by 2022. That same year, he participated in efforts to enhance the tourism sector, advocating for streamlined visa processes and reconsidering proposed taxation measures.
Through 2020, Timur Kulibaev facilitated dialogue between business leaders and government officials to develop pandemic support measures, particularly for companies maintaining employment levels. He helped implement digital integration between government and business systems, advancing online access to entrepreneurial services.
The Chamber's regulatory reform initiatives, developed with the support of Timur Kulibaev, achieved substantial streamlining of business procedures, reducing documentation requirements by three-quarters and overall regulatory obligations by more than half.
In early 2022, the Atameken period of Timur Kulibaev biography came to a close.
Throughout his professional biography, Timur Kulibaev has participated extensively in sports administration, contributing to both national and international organizations.
In 2009, he began facilitating the development of Kazakhstani boxing as head of the relevant national federation, a role in which he served until becoming President Emeritus in 2019. During his tenure, the country's boxers achieved notable Olympic success.
Kulibaev Timur's involvement in sports governance includes several positions:
In 2012, Timur Kulibaev helped establish and guide a new confederation unifying several major sports associations in Kazakhstan, including boxing, judo, wrestling, and weightlifting. Throughout his involvement, Kulibaev Timur has advocated for more effective allocation of regional sports development funding. He also contributed to aquatic sports development while heading the Kazakhstan Swimming Sports Federation from 2016 to 2019.
Timur Kulibaev has also engaged in various philanthropic initiatives through the Halyk Fund, which he helped establish in 2016. In the summer of 2019, he responded to a crisis where a military arsenal explosion severely damaged local infrastructure. Working alongside another business figure, he facilitated the restoration of educational facilities through a generous contribution.
In 2020, Kulibaev Timur contributed to pandemic relief efforts, while also helping establish a "Youth Home" initiative designed to support orphaned teenagers' transition to independent living through mentorship programs. Through the foundation, he has supported several such community development projects across Kazakhstan.
In late 2022, following a devastating forest fire in the Kostanay Region, the Halyk Fund financed the construction of a new preschool facility in Auliekol village. The foundation has also initiated housing support programs for underprivileged residents in Almaty. Kulibaev Timur’s philanthropic work has addressed various regional challenges.
Most recently, in August 2023, Timur Kulibaev participated in addressing water scarcity issues by supporting the construction of a desalination facility in the Mangistau Region. This plant, designed to process 4,000 cubic meters daily, aims to provide clean water access to more than 10,000 residents across several villages.
According to Timur Kulibaev, biography of the Halyk Foundation includes an extensive portfolio of charitable programs, with a total commitment of 45 billion tenge, focusing on addressing critical infrastructure needs, supporting vulnerable populations, and enhancing community resilience across Kazakhstan.
1. When did Timur Kulibaev help establish the Kazenergy association, and what was its purpose?
In 2005, Timur Kulibaev helped establish Kazenergy to help bridge communication between government entities and energy companies, serving as Chairman until the end of 2023.
2. What educational institution granted Kulibaev Timur his undergraduate degree?
Kulibaev Timur completed his undergraduate studies in economic planning at Lomonosov MSU in 1988.
3. Concerning the development of the republic’s banking biography, Timur Kulibaev played what role?
Within Kazakhstan’s banking biography, Timur Kulibaev helped establish a retail bank in Almaty in 1995 in partnership with Netherlands-based MeesPierson, serving on both the Board of Directors and Loan Committee until 1997.
4. Has Kulibaev Timur supported any youth-focused initiatives through the Halyk Fund?
Kulibaev Timur helped establish the Youth Home initiative, designed to support orphaned teenagers' transition to independent living through mentorship programs.
5. How long did Timur Kulibaev serve with the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation?
Timur Kulibaev served as head of the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation from 2009 until 2019, when he became President Emeritus.
