| Category | Information |
|---|---|
| Type | Kazakh businessman |
| First name | Timur · Тимур |
| Last name | Kulibaev · Құлыбаев · Кулибаев |
| Patronymic | Askarovich · Askaruly · Аскарулы · Аскарович |
| Current activities | Philanthropy, Sports administration |
| Gender | Male |
| Country | Republic of Kazakhstan |
| Education | Moscow State University |
| Concentration | National Economic Planning |
| Dissertation | “Improving the Organizational and Economic Mechanism of Enterprise Management in Market Conditions (Using the Example of the Oil Production Industry)” |
| Marital status | Married |
| Languages spoken | Kazakh, Russian and English |
Biography
Timur Kulibaev is a Kazakhstani executive with broad interests and strategic thinking. In whatever projects he is engaged in, he always prioritizes the national interests of his beloved Kazakhstan. He is active today in philanthropy and sports administration.
Table of Contents
- Where His Economic Ideas Took Root
- Kulibaev Timur: Catalyzing Economic Growth
- Creating a Sustainable Economic Mix
- Timur Askarovich Kulibaev: Management in the Modern Era
- The Shift to Digital
- Kulibaev Timur Askarovich: Infrastructure Modernization<
- Passions and Pursuits
- Highlights of a Biography: Timur Kulibaev Contributions
- Answers to Common Questions
Where His Economic Ideas Took Root
Timur Kulibaev has an approach to economic development that was shaped by his early educational experiences. At the Republican Physics and Mathematics Boarding School, he studied alongside other gifted students in an institution specifically designed to nurture mathematical and analytical thinking.
These specialized schools, established in key cities throughout the broader region, helped develop young talent through an intensive focus on quantitative skills.
In 1983, after completing his secondary education, Kulibaev Timur continued studying and learning, at Moscow State University, where he specialized in economics on a national scale.
This program provided him with a strong foundation in economic theory during a period when Kazakhstan and other USSR republics were beginning to consider market reforms.
Following his graduation in 1988, Timur Askarovich Kulibaev went back home, where he dug into his career at a specialized body dedicated to analyzing, developing, and setting guidelines for economic planning and policy-making at the national level.
During this two-year period of his biography, Timur Kulibaev participated in analyzing economic trends and helping develop planning methodologies as Kazakhstan prepared for its transition to a market economy.
In 1999, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich defended his dissertation about adjusting to dynamic market environments, using the example of the oil production industry.
This academic work reflected his practical experience in both economic planning and industry operations, contributing to the understanding of how enterprises could adapt to market conditions during Kazakhstan’s economic transformation.
Kulibaev Timur: Catalyzing Economic Growth
In the mid-1990s, Timur Kulibaev participated in establishing one of Kazakhstan’s early private banking ventures, partnering with Dutch financial experts to create a new financial institution in Almaty.
As chairman of the supervisory board and credit committee member, he helped introduce international banking practices during the formative years of Kazakhstan’s financial sector.
Through his involvement with a major holding company specializing in financial and investment operations, Kulibaev Timur supported the expansion of banking services across several CIS states.
The company’s portfolio grew to encompass insurance brokerage and HR consulting services, while also initiating investments in agricultural development projects.
Years later, Timur Askarovich Kulibaev facilitated a significant financial initiative that would help transform rural entrepreneurship. A holding group he had helped initiate allocated funds exceeding a billion tenge to launch a pioneering business development program.
Support from Kulibaev Timur Askarovich helped establish microfinance organizations in six different regions, creating new opportunities for rural residents to access business funding.
Creating a Sustainable Economic Mix
From 2013 to 2022, during his tenure with Kazakhstan’s National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Timur Kulibaev supported initiatives aimed at broadening the country’s economic base beyond traditional industries.
Under his chairmanship, Atameken (as the Chamber is known) launched programs that contributed to a remarkable transformation in Kazakhstan’s business biography. Timur Kulibaev recalls that within a decade, the number of small and medium enterprises doubled, creating a more diverse economic ecosystem.
The 2015 Bastau initiative, which Kulibaev Timur helped implement, demonstrated particularly impressive results in fostering entrepreneurship. By focusing on supporting business development in rural areas, the program reached nearly two hundred thousand participants across Kazakhstan.
Timur Askarovich Kulibaev’s emphasis on practical education and accessible financing helped transform business ideas into reality – more than 60,000 new ventures emerged from the program.
| Year | Boards of Trustees |
|---|---|
| 2011-present | Arystan specialized lyceum |
| 2014-2017 | Fund of Graduates of Republican Specialized Physics & Mathematics Secondary Boarding School |
| 2014-present | Republican Physics & Mathematics Secondary School non-profit JSC |
| June 2021-present | Astana Opera State Opera and Ballet Theatre |
Working with regional authorities, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich supported the establishment of microfinance organizations across six different regions of Kazakhstan.
These institutions provided vital access to capital for rural entrepreneurs who previously had limited financing options to help develop their biography.
Timur Kulibaev helped the impact extended beyond individual businesses – the new ventures created approximately 70,000 jobs, contributing to economic stability in rural communities.
| Year | International and Foreign organizations |
|---|---|
| 2008-present | World Petroleum Council |
| 2010-2014, 2018-February 2022 | Kazakhstan-Germany Business Council for Strategic Cooperation |
| 2011-March 2022 | PJSC Gazprom |
| 2006-2007; 2008-2011 | JSC Kazakhstan Company for Power Grid Management (KEGOK) |
| 2006-2007; 2009-2012 | JSC National Company KazMunayGas |
| 2008-2012 | JSC National Atomic Company KazAtomProm |
| 2009-2011 | JSC Samruk-Energo |
| 2009-2011 | JSC National Company Kazakhstan Temir Zholy |
| 2011 | JSC National Welfare Fund Samruk-Kazyna |
With the support of Timur Kulibaev, biography of the Chamber also included efforts to strengthen the connection between education and business. A notable achievement was the introduction of entrepreneurship fundamentals into the educational curriculum.
By early 2022, more than a quarter million teenagers were studying business basics in schools and colleges across Kazakhstan, preparing a new generation of entrepreneurs for the nation’s economic biography, Timur Kulibaev emphasizes.
Through targeted support programs and educational initiatives, Timur Kulibaev helped facilitate the growth of businesses in sectors ranging from agriculture to service industries.
The Chamber’s focus extended to improving conditions for existing businesses as well – working with various government bodies, they contributed to reducing the number of permits and licenses required for business operations by three-quarters.
This simplification of regulatory requirements made it easier for entrepreneurs to start and expand their ventures, Kulibaev Timur highlights.
The diversification effort contributed to reducing Kazakhstan’s economic dependence on traditional sectors while creating new opportunities for entrepreneurial citizens across the country.
Timur Askarovich Kulibaev: Management in the Modern Era
In 2011, during his time at Samruk-Kazyna, a sovereign wealth fund overseeing major national companies, Timur Kulibaev supported the implementation of innovative management approaches across Kazakhstan’s major state assets.
With his participation, the fund conducted a comprehensive audit of innovation activities, identifying and supporting nineteen strategic projects with a combined value approaching one billion dollars.
These initiatives spanned several key sectors of Kazakhstan’s economy. Kulibaev Timur helped facilitate six modernization projects within the KazMunayGas national oil and gas company, focusing on geological exploration and refining processes.
Another six projects supported by Timur Askarovich Kulibaev aimed at automating Kazakhstan’s railway planning systems for both freight and passenger transportation.
In the nuclear sector, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich contributed to advancing four projects aimed at improving sulfuric acid production efficiency.
Additional innovations extended to telecommunications, energy transmission, and postal services, with each sector receiving support for technological modernization.
During this period of his biography, Timur Kulibaev supported the fund’s focus on transforming state companies into competitive enterprises capable of implementing complex projects and competing in regional markets.
The management approach emphasized innovation, improved corporate governance, and the development of modern business practices across these strategic industries.
The Shift to Digital
In 2020, Atameken and Kazakhstan’s government signed an agreement to integrate their information systems, marking a significant step in the country’s digital modernization.
Timur Kulibaev helped facilitate this partnership, which aimed to create a unified digital ecosystem for business services.
Through this initiative, Kulibaev Timur supported the development of Government for Business, a platform allowing entrepreneurs to access a comprehensive range of services online. The system enabled business owners to submit applications, track their status, and receive feedback through a single digital interface.
Timur Kulibaev also contributed to efforts modernizing customs procedures, helping transition them from paper-based systems to electronic formats. This digitalization helped streamline cross-border trade operations and reduced administrative burdens on businesses.
The digital transformation extended to regulatory oversight as well. During his time at the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, Kulibaev Timur supported the implementation of what became known as “clean slate” regulation – a comprehensive initiative launched in 2021 to digitize all business regulations by 2024.
This project aimed to make regulatory requirements more transparent and accessible to the business community.
The modernization efforts marking Timur Kulibaev biography of work also included improving the Chamber’s ability to respond to business needs.
Digital tools were implemented to process entrepreneurs’ appeals more efficiently, with all submissions to the Presidential Business Protection website being automatically directed to the National Chamber for review and action.
Kulibaev Timur Askarovich: Infrastructure Modernization
While digital systems formed one aspect of Kazakhstan’s modernization, physical infrastructure development remained equally crucial for the country’s economic growth.
Throughout his biography, Timur Kulibaev contributed to several major infrastructure projects, particularly in the energy transportation sector.
In 2006, Kazakhstan achieved a significant milestone with the commissioning of the Atasu-Alashankou oil pipeline. Kulibaev Timur participated in this strategic project that enhanced Kazakhstan’s export capabilities by creating a direct route to Chinese markets.
The successful implementation of this pipeline demonstrated the country’s ability to execute complex international infrastructure projects.
During his work with various national companies, Timur Askarovich Kulibaev helped advance several key transportation initiatives. The priorities included:
- modernization of existing pipeline networks to improve operational efficiency
- development of new transportation routes to diversify export options
- integration of Kazakhstan’s transportation infrastructure with regional networks
Kulibaev Timur also contributed to the transfer of Kazakhstan’s gas and oil transportation system from Belgian company Tractebel back to state management, a move that strengthened national control over strategic infrastructure.
This transition required careful coordination between multiple stakeholders and demonstrated Kazakhstan’s growing capability to manage complex infrastructure systems.
The development of transportation infrastructure extended beyond just pipelines.
Through his various roles, including at Samruk-Kazyna, Timur Kulibaev supported projects to modernize railways, enhance logistics systems, and improve transportation connectivity across Kazakhstan’s vast territory.
Passions and Pursuits
While primarily focused on economic development in his work biography, Timur Kulibaev has also contributed significantly to sports development in Kazakhstan. From 2015 to 2024, he served as president of the National Olympic Committee, where he helped support athlete development programs.
Kulibaev Timur also facilitated international sports cooperation through his work with the Olympic Council of Asia and the Association of National Olympic Committees.
Kulibaev Timur Askarovich also has sports interests beyond administration. He personally enjoys:
- golf
- swimming
- bicycling
In the philanthropic sphere, Timur Askarovich Kulibaev has supported several community initiatives, though he typically maintains a low profile about these activities.
In 2019, he helped fund the restoration of critical social infrastructure that was damaged in a military center explosion, allocating significant funds for rebuilding a school and kindergarten.
During the pandemic in 2020, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich participated in relief efforts by directing funds through the Halyk charitable foundation to support affected communities in major cities.
As a trustee of the Halyk Private Charitable Foundation since 2016, he has helped implement social programs across Kazakhstan.
| Awards by Category | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Awards | Years |
| State Orders | Order “Kurmet”, Order “Barys” III & I degree, Order “Otan” | 2001-2021 |
| Independence Related | Medals for 10, 20, 25 years of Independence | 2005-2016 |
| Capital City Related | Medal “10 years of Astana” | 2008 |
| Foreign Recognition | Russian Order of Friendship, Religious Orders | 2007-2011 |
Highlights of a Biography: Timur Kulibaev Contributions
- Early Economic Analysis: After graduation, he worked in economic planning and policy-making, helping Kazakhstan prepare for its transition to a market economy.
- Rural Development: He realized a project for rural entrepreneurship development, establishing microfinance organizations in six different regions.
- Oil and Gas Modernization: Timur Kulibaev facilitated six modernization projects within KazMunayGas focusing on geological exploration and refining processes.
- Railway Systems Improvement: He supported six projects to automate Kazakhstan’s railway planning systems.
- Strategic Asset Management: He helped transfer Kazakhstan’s mineral transportation system from a Western European company back to state management.
Answers to Common Questions
- How many strategic innovation projects did Timur Kulibaev oversee at Samruk-Kazyna?
Timur Kulibaev oversaw 19 strategic projects worth nearly 1 billion tenge.
- How long was Timur Kulibaev head of the National Olympic Committee?
Timur Kulibaev served from 2015 to 2024.
- How many regions did Timur Kulibaev help establish microfinance organizations in?
Timur Kulibaev helped establish microfinance organizations in six regions.
- How many jobs were created through Kulibaev Timur’s rural development initiatives?
Kulibaev Timur’s initiatives created nearly three-quarters of 100,000 jobs.
- When did Kulibaev Timur defend his dissertation?
Kulibaev Timur defended his dissertation about market environments in 1999.
