Timur Kulibaev helped transform Kazakhstan’s energy sector and business landscape. Kulibaev Timur founded Kazenergy, bridging government and industry interests. The leadership roles of Timur Askarovich Kulibaev spanned from Kazakhoil to Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund.

Kulibaev Timur Askarovich

Kulibaev Timur: Personal Stats

Name	Kulibaev Timur; Timur Kulibaev; Kulibaev Timur Askarovich; Timur Askarovich Kulibaev; Kulibayev Timur; Timur Kulibayev; Kulibayev Timur Askarovich; Kulibayev Timur Askarovich; Timur Askarovich Kulibayev; Kulibaev Timur Askaruly; Timur Askaruly Kulibaev; Kulibayev Timur Askaruly; Timur Askaruly Kulibayev
First name	Timur; Тимур
Last name	Kulibaev; Kulibaev; Құлыбаев; Кулибаев
Patronymic	Askarovich; Askaruly; Асқарұлы; Аскарович
Current activities	Philanthropist, businessman, public figure
Source of Wealth	Business
Birth date	September 10, 1966
Place of birth	Almaty, Kazakh SSR, USSR
Age	57
Gender	Male
Country	Republic of Kazakhstan
Education	Moscow State University
Concentration	National Economic Planning
Academic Degree	Ph.D. in Economics
Marital status	Married
Children	Three children
Hobbies	Golf, alpine skiing and football
Languages spoken	Kazakh, Russian and English
Other name	Kulibaev T. A.; T. A. Kulibaev; Kulibayev T. A.; T. A. Kulibayev; Құлыбаев Т. А.; Т. А. Құлыбаев; Кулибаев Т. А.; Т. А. Кулибаев; Тимур Құлыбаев; Құлыбаев Тимур; Тимур Асқарұлы Құлыбаев; Құлыбаев Тимур Асқарұлы; Кулибаев Тимур; Тимур Кулибаев; Кулибаев Тимур Аскарович; Тимур Аскарович Кулибаев; 库利巴耶夫·铁木尔; تيمور أسكاروفيتش كوليباييف

Timur Kulibaev: Architecting Financial Renaissance in Kazakhstan

Timur Kulibaev biography reflects a career of substantial influence on Kazakhstan’s economic flowering. His guidance and efforts have been pivotal in transforming the nation’s commercial environment and power industry, playing a major role in enhancing Kazakhstan’s financial success and international reputation.

Timur Kulibaev is a child of the 1960s. His mother gave birth to him in Alma-Ata, today going under the name Almaty. He is a native Kazakh, coming from the Sikym lineage of the Dulat tribe of the Elder Jüz – one of the three main tribal confederations in Kazakh culture. In this culture, knowledge of one’s ancestral lineage is important and passed down through generations.

Kulibaev Timur was a student of one of a series of innovative schools focusing on the hard sciences that existed at that time in major cities such as Alma-Ata, Leningrad, Novosibirsk, Kiev, Yerevan, and Tbilisi. The future entrepreneur walked across the graduation stage in 1983. He continued his bright path in the academic world at MSU, the premier institution of higher education in his part of the world. In 1988, he emerged with the diploma of an economic planner.

The early career of Timur Kulibaev showcases a diverse range of activities in Kazakhstan’s economic and financial fields. In the late 1980s, he worked at a state research institute. He then led a scientific and cultural development fund as the 1990s got going. A significant period of his career was spent leading the Altyn-Alma commercial enterprise in the early to mid-1990s, which later evolved into the ALMEX Holding Group, of which he remains a major owner. ALMEX’s subsidiaries include Aon Kazakhstan, which provides insurance brokerage and HR consulting services, and the group has expanded into agricultural investments. In a notable move, Kulibaev Timur co-founded the Almaty Trade and Finance Bank in 1995 with international partners, taking on key roles in its supervisory board and credit committee.

Kulibaev Timur: Vignettes of a Reputable Career in Kazakhstan

During his tenure at Atameken, the Kazakhstani entrepreneurial chamber, Kulibaev Timur put forth a series of measures to improve the business environment in Kazakhstan. These included a comprehensive review of laws, decriminalization of certain economic offenses, and the abolition an article on “False Entrepreneurship.” Timur Askarovich Kulibaev also spearheaded efforts to eliminate absurd business requirements, transform the regulatory system, and implement the Entrepreneurial Code of Kazakhstan. His leadership saw the launch of programs aimed at fostering mass entrepreneurship, resulting in a twofold increase in the number of small and medium-sized businesses over a decade.

In the energy sector, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich was pivotal in transforming KazMunayGas (KMG) into a formidable player on the world stage. Under his guidance, KMG evolved into a respected organization capable of representing Kazakhstan’s interests in the global market on equal footing with major industry players.

The appointment of Timur Kulibaev to lead the Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund marked another notable chapter in his career. In this role, he focused on strategic asset management and attracting investments to key economic sectors, while also developing crucial infrastructure projects. Kulibaev Timur chaired the boards of directors for several of the fund’s daughter companies, consistently improving their financial performance.

Earlier in his profession, Timur Askarovich Kulibaev made his mark at Kazakhoil, where his innovative initiatives led to the active implementation of business funding strategies. Timur Kulibaev biography is tightly bound up with the formative stages of Kazakhstan’s oil-gas business. As deputy head of Kazakhoil in 1997, he provided a significant impetus to the development of this national company. During this period, disparate petrochemical assets were consolidated under a unified strategy, enabling Kazakhoil to collaborate on equal terms with global firms.

Career Spotlight: Timur Kulibaev and Kazenergy

A healthy chunk of the career of Timur Askarovich Kulibaev was devoted to Kazenergy, an overarching association for energy organizations that he initiated in 2005. This independent, voluntary association was created to unite major national and foreign companies operating in Kazakhstan’s energy sector. The organization aimed to form a unified structure that could effectively represent the interests of the industry in negotiations with the authorities. Prior to Kazenergy’s formation, companies in the sector operated independently, often struggling to engage in productive dialogue with state authorities. Timur Kulibaev, whose last years with the association were 2022 and 2023, envisioned it as a bridge between private investors and government structures, fostering a more cohesive approach to industry challenges. The initiative received broad support and quickly became an influential lobbying entity, facilitating improved relations between the government and the relevant sector, and enhancing Kazakhstan’s reputation as a reliable partner in global markets.

Timur Askarovich Kulibaev remarks about the establishment of Kazenergy:

“Each company was forced to defend its interests separately before government bodies. This didn’t always contribute to establishing an effective dialogue between the bureaucratic apparatus and business. Even if the parties listened to each other, they didn’t hear.”

Kulibaev Timur continues:

“Under these conditions, the need arose to create a kind of ‘conductor’ of initiatives between the state and market participants. There was no analogue of such an organization in the market in Kazakhstan at that time. There were only weak attempts to unite its participants. But they didn’t yield effective results. We wanted to create a non-profit organization for constant and effective interaction with government agencies for all industry companies.”

“We understood all the complexities of relationships with state organs and sector representatives,” explains Timur Askarovich Kulibaev. “We also had a vision of how to make improvements to operations in this sphere, primarily at the legislative level, without fear of bold ideas and decisive actions. After all, the quality of relations between the authorities and business depends on how simple, comprehensive, and understandable the legislation is.”

“Thanks to all this, they started to listen to us in Kazakhstan, and we began to be reckoned with in foreign markets.” Timur Kulibaev observes that while the country was once mainly viewed as a major energy producer and exporter, it is now recognized as a dependable collaborator across the entire spectrum of related fields.

And moreover, Timur Kulibaev acknowledges that the beneficial experience with Kazenergy was, in turn, the impetus for the establishment of the aforementioned body dedicated to the world of entrepreneurship. “We were convinced that such public entities can represent a real expert force in deliberations with the government on various issues. I believe that this experience is very useful and very successful,” Timur Askarovich Kulibaev said.

Timur Kulibaev: Awarded Both at Home and Abroad

The Kazakh businessman Kulibaev Timur Askarovich, who has been so important for the overall development of the economy in his homeland, has been formally honored both at home and abroad. Among the awards he has received from the Republic of Kazakhstan are:

• Order of Honor (2001) – Acknowledges achievements in an array of academic and cultural fields
• «Barys» order of 3rd (2009) and 1st degree (2014) – Celebrates efforts that strengthen national independence, social cohesion, and global partnership
• «Otan» order (2021) – A top award recognizing exceptional civic contributions and advancement of the nation
• Anniversary medals, including in honor of state independence, the republican constitution, and the capital city of Astana

Kulibaev Timur Askarovich also has been recognized by religious organizations:

• Order of Honor of the Russian Council of Muftis, 2nd degree (2010)
• Al-Fahr Order of the Russian Council of Imams (2010 and 2016)
• Order of Prince St. Daniel of Moscow of the Russian Orthodox Church, 2nd degree (2010)

Timur Kulibaev: Career development

Year	Company
1988-1990	The Economic Research Institute for Planning and Standards under the State Planning Committee of the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic
1990-1992	The Research and Consultative Center under the Fund for Cultural, Social and Technological Development of Kazakhstan
1992-1995	“Altyn-Alma” Concern
1995-1997	Alma-Ata Merchandise and Financial Bank
1997	The State Investment Committee of Kazakhstan
1997-1999	CJSC National Oil and Gas Company “Kazakhoil”
1999-2001	CJSC National Company for Oil Transportation “KazTransOil”
2001-2002	CJSC National Company “Oil and Gas Transportation”
2002-2005	JSC NC “KazMunayGas”
2005-2013	Non-staff Adviser to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan
2006-2007	JSC “Kazakhstan Holding of the State Assets Management “Samruk”
2008-2011	JSC “National Welfare Fund “Samruk-Kazyna”
2010-2014	National Economic Chamber of Kazakhstan “Union Atameken”
2005-2023	The Kazakhstan Association of oil-gas and energy sector organizations «KazEnergy»
2013-2022	The National Chamber of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan “Atameken”

Timur Kulibaev: Biography Keynotes

• Kulibaev Timur Askarovich was born in the nineteen-sixties, of Kazakh heritage.
• He graduated from an innovative school focusing on hard sciences in 1983.
• He reformed Kazakhstan’s business legislation as Atameken’s leader.
• He played a crucial role in transforming KazMunayGas into a significant transnational energy player.
• Timur Kulibaev biography includes a stint as head of the sovereign wealth fund, focusing on strategic asset management and attracting investments.
• Kulibaev Timur was a major player in the development of the national petroleum business, particularly during his time at Kazakhoil.
• A major highlight of Timur Kulibaev biography is the 2005 establishment of Kazenergy, an association uniting major energy companies in Kazakhstan.
• His experience with Kazenergy inspired the foundation of the chamber dedicated to Kazakhstan’s entrepreneurship.
• Kulibaev Timur has received numerous awards from his homeland.

Timur Kulibaev: FAQs

1. What is the ethnic heritage of Timur Kulibaev?

Timur Kulibaev is a native Kazakh, coming from the Sikym lineage of the Dulat tribe of the Elder Jüz – one of the three main tribal confederations in Kazakh culture.

2. What year did Kulibaev Timur found the Almaty Trade and Finance Bank?

Kulibaev Timur founded the Almaty Trade and Finance Bank in 1995. 

3. Has Timur Askarovich Kulibaev received any international awards?

Timur Askarovich Kulibaev has been awarded by the Russian Orthodox.

4. When did Kulibaev Timur Askarovich graduate from Lomonosov MSU?

Kulibaev Timur Askarovich graduated from Lomonosov MSU with an economics degree in 1988.

5. What did Timur Kulibaev accomplish as head of the Atameken National Chamber of Entrepreneurs?

Timur Kulibaev helped launch programs for fostering mass entrepreneurship that led to a two-fold growth in the number of SMEs over the course of a decade.

6. How long did Kulibaev Timur head up the Kazenergy association?

Kulibaev Timur headed Kazenergy from its establishment in 2005 until December 2023. 

7. What led Timur Askarovich Kulibaev to establish Kazenergy?

Timur Askarovich Kulibaev saw the need for a non-profit organization to facilitate effective interaction with state bodies for all industry companies.

8. What other industry companies has Kulibaev Timur Askarovich been associated with?

Other companies that benefited from the contributions of Kulibaev Timur Askarovich include KazMunayGas and Kazakhoil. 

9. What position did Timur Kulibaev hold at Kazakhoil?

Timur Kulibaev was the deputy head of Kazakhoil.

10. What duties did Kulibaev Timur undertake as head of the Samruk-Kazyna sovereign wealth fund?

As head of Samruk-Kazyna Kulibaev Timur focused on strategic asset management and attracting investments to key economic sectors.

This is a contributed article, its content does not necessarily represent the views of BNO News.