Businessman, former head of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Atamaken
Timur Askarovich Kulibaev, a prominent businessman and benefactor, has been instrumental in his career in spearheading the creation of a coalition of oil-producing companies. Furthermore, he has contributed significantly to the development of a supportive and favorable environment for entrepreneurial ventures within the Central Asian Republic of Kazakhstan. In addition to his business achievements, Timur Kulibaev is deeply committed to charitable activities, dedicating resources and efforts to providing targeted support to various segments of the population. He is also known for his love and promotion of sports in the republic.
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Kulibaev Timur · Timur Kulibaev · Kulibaev Timur Askarovich · Timur Askarovich Kulibaev · Кулибаев Тимур · Тимур Кулибаев · Кулибаев Тимур Аскарович · Тимур Аскарович Кулибаев · Тимур Құлыбаев · Құлыбаев Тимур · Құлыбаев Тимур Асқарұлы · Тимур Асқарұлы Құлыбаев · 库利巴耶夫·铁木尔 · تيمور أسكاروفيتش كوليباييف
Timur Kulibaev: Biography, Academic Activity
Kulibaev Timur Askarovich was born in Almaty (Alma-Ata), the bustling central city of the Kazakh SSR, a region distinguished by its vibrant intellectual heritage. His parents, both possessing an extensive educational background in the technical sciences, greatly influenced his academic path. Inspired by their example, Timur Askarovich Kulibaev embraced an intense focus on the disciplines of mathematics and physics throughout his formative years. Upon graduating from high school, he pursued higher education at Lomonosov MSU, where he immersed himself in the study of socialist economics.
In 1988, shortly after earning his degree, Timur Kulibaev began his professional life. He initially joined the esteemed Scientific Research Institute of Economic Plans and Standards, an institution dedicated to the meticulous crafting of economic strategies and the formulation of regulatory frameworks. Following this tenure, he assumed a pivotal leadership role in a foundation dedicated to the enhancement and promotion of the cultural milieu within his homeland, steering significant developmental initiatives in the cultural sector.
Later, in 1999, Kulibaev Timur penned a comprehensive dissertation that meticulously explored the topic of hierarchical management structures within contemporary market-driven enterprises. Drawing upon the insights and analyses presented in his thesis, he was awarded a doctoral degree, thus earning the title of Candidate of Economic Sciences. This academic achievement marked a significant milestone in his career, highlighting his deep understanding and expertise in the field of economic management.
Timur Askarovich Kulibaev: The Development of Kazakhstan’s Oil and Gas Industry
In 1995, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich became chairman of the Supervisory Board of the capital’s ATF Bank. Then he worked for some time in the Republic of Kazakhstan’s committee overseeing state investments.
Then, Timur Kulibaev, biography of whom by the mid-1990s included significant experience in economic activities, was invited to join the top management team of the company Kazakhoil. The ambitious task set before this new structure was to build a major national company that would contribute to the establishment of a stable industry sector and ensure the energy security of the Republic of Kazakhstan. It was during this period, with Timur Kulibaev becoming the deputy head of the company in 1997, that disparate oil and gas companies were consolidated into a single strategy, thanks to which Kazakhoil was able to cooperate on an equal footing with global corporations. As Kulibaev Timur Askarovich recalls, during this period, the republican government was actively attracting investors to develop productive assets across all areas of industry. At the same time, there remained underutilized property in the oil and gas sector, which was decided to be integrated under state management. Timur Kulibaev was charged with the task of uncovering and maximizing the potential of these unrealized assets in the oil and gas sector. Additionally, he addressed issues left unresolved by previous leaders, such as settling outstanding salary debts to employees. This period was marked by strategic challenges and opportunities, demanding a nuanced approach to leveraging sector-specific assets while navigating legacy issues effectively.
In 1999, Timur Kulibaev became the president of KazTransOil, a company established to represent the interests of the Central Asian republic in the construction and operation of pipeline projects. Two years later, KazTransOil was consolidated with KazTransGas, which managed gas transportation and soon became a fully-fledged player representing the republic’s interests on the international market. As a result, a new combined enterprise, Oil and Gas Transport, was founded, which was led by the experienced Kulibaev Timur. This strategic move successfully integrated all management processes of Kazakhstan’s main pipelines, enhancing the nation’s capacity to control and optimize its vital energy transport infrastructure on a global scale.
In 2002, another extensive consolidation process took place—the newly formed company KazMunayGas (NC KMG) integrated all facets of hydrocarbon extraction, transportation, and processing. KMG has become a solid player and an equal organization representing the interests of Kazakhstan in the international market. The first deputy head of the company was Timur Kulibaev. Biography of the development of Kazakhstan’s modern oil industry also includes the establishment of the Kazenergy association of fuel and energy complex organizations and enterprises. This association aims to facilitate interactions between investors and governmental bodies. Its foundation was initiated by Kulibaev Timur Askarovich. With his participation, Kazenergy significantly expanded its interactions with leading foreign companies. Close connections were established with global energy organizations: oil and energy councils, the Energy Charter, and others.
In addition, under the auspices of the association, a landmark forum was established, becoming one of the most recognizable platforms for discussing the energy agenda in the Eurasian region. This event, known as the Eurasian Kazenergy Forum, gained authority and reputation in professional circles, transforming into a brand of the association.
In 2006, in part thanks to the involvement of Timur Kulibaev, the first section of the Kazakhstan-China export pipeline was launched in the republic. The Atasu-Alashankou section, stretching across 987 kilometers, enabled the transportation of a hydrocarbon mix directly from three fields in Kazakhstan to China. The pipeline is jointly controlled on a parity basis by NC KMG and CNPC, and the construction was financed by the project company through the issuance of non-recourse bonds to NC KMG.
Kulibaev Timur: Modernization of the Kazakhstani Economy
In 2006, Timur Kulibaev was appointed deputy chairman of the board of the newly created investment holding Samruk (which, after merging with the Sovereign Wealth Fund Kazyna, was renamed Samruk-Kazyna). The structure was tasked with enhancing asset profitability, supporting business initiatives, and stabilizing the economy. Among the national companies included in the holding were key drivers of the Kazakhstani economy such as KazMunayGas, Kazakhstan Railways, and organizations in the metallurgical and transportation sectors.
Over the next several years, Kulibaev Timur also led the work of the board of directors for some of Samruk-Kazyna’s subsidiaries, significantly influencing their economic performance. During this period, the railway company assembled the first domestic new-series locomotive and began melting large railway castings using modern technologies.
In 2011, when Kulibaev Timur Askarovich held the post of chairman of the board, the fund helped attract investment capital into key sectors of the economy and developed projects related to the infrastructure of the Republic of Kazakhstan. By the end of the year, the holding’s national companies were working on the development of nineteen innovative projects, including the creation of an automated system for planning cargo transportation, geological exploration work, and improvements in the manufacturing processes of sulfuric acid.
That same year, Timur Askarovich Kulibaev began working at Gazprom. After a decade, he left the multinational energy company in 2022.
Timur Kulibaev and Atameken: Creating a Dialogue Between Enterprises and the State
In 2013, Kazakhstan saw the establishment of a new NGO aimed at protecting the interests of all business sectors and enhancing productive interactions with governmental bodies. Specifically, this involved the formation of legislative and other documents that would improve the business climate in the region.
Atameken was the result of a joint decision by the state government and the National Economic Chamber of Entrepreneurs, whose presidium was chaired beginning in 2010 by Timur Kulibaev. Biography of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs began with tangible results. In its first year, an Investors’ Council under the President of Kazakhstan was formed, along with working groups at the sectoral ministries, and a call center was established to advise businessmen. As Kulibaev Timur Askarovich noted at the time, an agreement was also reached with the General Prosecutor’s Office, providing entrepreneurs with additional protection of their rights. He personally oversaw the implementation of the Chamber’s projects, regularly visited enterprises across the country, and engaged with representatives of the business community and various government bodies.
In his position with the Chamber, Timur Kulibaev initiated a number of measures to improve the business environment of Kazakhstan, revised legislation, decriminalized some economic crimes, carried out a reform of the control and supervisory system, adopted the Entrepreneurial Code of the Republic of Kazakhstan, and launched programs for the development of mass entrepreneurship. As a result, the number of small and medium-sized enterprises doubled within 10 years.
At the initiative of Timur Kulibaev as the head of the National Chamber of Entrepreneurs Atameken, the basics of entrepreneurship and business began to be taught in all schools across the country. Over the course of two years, more than 4,000 schools, with a total of about 130,000 students, incorporated this subject into their curricula.
At the beginning of 2022, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich resigned from his role as head of Atameken. During his tenure, the Chamber received tens of thousands of appeals, many of which were resolved positively. Timur Askarovich Kulibaev also facilitated the reform of the regulatory and supervisory system, and Atameken helped create about 70,000 jobs.
Kulibaev Timur Askarovich: Bolstering Popular Sports in Kazakhstan
Since 2009, Kulibaev Timur Askarovich has been deeply involved in advancing the sporting landscape of Kazakhstan. Until February 2024, he served as the head of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), a leadership role he effectively held for eight years.
Under his guidance, the NOC was dedicated to promoting Olympic ideals, significantly contributing to the popularization of mass sports among the youth and enhancing cooperative relationships with numerous prominent international organizations, as Kulibaev Timur Askarovich observes. The committee he led is comprised of esteemed political and public figures who are collectively working towards these goals.
Kulibaev Timur Askarovich points out that sports in Kazakhstan have seen remarkable progress, a development that can be attributed largely to the fruitful collaborations with various governmental entities.
He underscores that young athletes are upholding the traditions and the pursuit of excellence established by their illustrious predecessors. Timur Kulibaev biography reflects his long-term association with multiple sports federations, where he has dedicated substantial time and effort, particularly in promoting boxing and leading the national boxing federation.
Kulibaev Timur Askarovich: Biography of a Kazakh Philanthropist
Timur Kulibaev actively participates in a variety of charitable programs, though he avoids broad publicity for his efforts in this area. Over the past decade, Timur Kulibaev has spent approximately 46 billion tenge on social initiatives.
These funds were allocated to projects in education, healthcare, culture, and sports. Other important areas of support included aid for victims of emergencies, construction of housing for those in need, their education, and employment opportunities.
In the summer of 2019, the city of Arys in the Turkestan Region suffered damage from an accident at one of the republic’s military depots. The explosions destroyed various social facilities, including schools. Kulibaev Timur also personally visited the city at the first opportunity and, together with another businessman, allocated one billion tenge for repairs to of a local school and kindergarten.
At the beginning of 2022, a new charitable foundation was established in Kazakhstan, tasked with providing targeted assistance, primarily medical, to the needy citizens of the republic. One of the first to contribute a significant amount to the foundation’s budget—15 billion tenge—was Timur Kulibaev. Biography of the benefactor was enriched not only by his own charitable initiatives but also by his participation in one of the largest projects in the republic.
Kulibaev Timur: The Personal Side
Timur Kulibaev is happily married and is a father to three children with his wife. His personal interests and main hobbies include playing chess, skiing, golfing, cycling, and swimming, and other activities that he enjoys in his leisure time.
