Prime Minister Karim K. Massimov

Karim K. Massimov was born in 1965 in Tselinograd (now Astana) and holds degrees in international law, finance, economics and national economy management.
He is a graduate of Patrice Lulumba University of Friendship of Nations in Moscow, Beijing Language & Culture University, the Law Institute of Wuhan University China and the Kazakh State Academy of Management. Post-graduate studies followed at the Moscow State Technological Academy and Columbia Business School.

Mr Massimov was a senior economist and head of the foreign relations department at the Labour Ministry in 1991/1992. He was Vice-Director of Kazakhprigrantorg in Urumqi (China) in 1992/1993, senior specialist of the China office of the Kazakh Ministry of External Economic Ties, Vice-Director of the Accept LLP (1993/1994) and MD of the Kazakh Trading House in Hong Kong (1994). Becoming Chairman of Almaty Trade & Finance Bank in 1995, he was made First Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the People’s Savings Bank of Kazakhstan in 1998.

Mr Massimov’s government posts have included Minister of Transport & Communications (2000/2001), Vice-Prime Minister (2001-2003), Assistant to the President (2003-2006) and Minister of Economic Affairs & Budget Planning (2006/2007). Mr Massimov has been Prime Minister of Kazakhstan since January 2007.

Kazakh Minister of Foreign Affairs, Marat M. Tazhin

Born in 1960 in Akytubinsk. Graduated from Almaty Institute of National Economy, and Graduate School of the Kirov Kazakh State University. In 1987-1988 took a fellowship program course at London University. In 1991-1992 was chairman of the Social Studies Department at the Social Studies Teaching Staff Advanced Training Institute with the Al-Farabi Kazakh State University.

From 1992 he held managerial positions in the President’s Staff and the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Kazakhstan: First Vice Head, Head of the Internal Politics Department, Deputy Head of the President’s Staff, and Head of the Information and Analysis Center. In 1994-1995, he served as Counselor of State to the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In 1995-1999 served as Head of the Administration of the President and Head of the Center for Analysis and Strategic Studies under the Presidential Administration. In 1999-2001 held the position of the National Security Aide to the President– Secretary of the Security Council. In 2000 he chaired the State Committee for Corruption Control. In 2001 headed the National Security Committee.

In 2002 served as National Security Aide to the President–Secretary of the National Security Committee. From August 2002 to April 2006 held the position of the First Deputy Head of the Administration of the President. From April 2006 – Aide to the President – Secretary of the National Security Committee. Awarded with the Kurmet order and two medals.

MINISTER OF ENERGY & NATURAL RESOURCES, SAUAT MYNBAYEV

Mr Sauat Mynbayev is a PhD graduate of Lomonosov Moscow State University.
Following his studies, he taught at the Alma-Ata Institute of National Economy and in 1991/92 presided over the Kazakhstan National Construction Exchange. From 1992 to 1995, he was First Deputy Chairman of Kazkommertsbank and was appointed Deputy Minister of Finance and Head of the Treasury in 1995.

In 1998, Mr Mynbayev was appointed Minister of Finance and was made Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration the following year. From 1999 to 2001, he was Minister of Agriculture - and from 2001 he was president of the Development Bank of Kazakhstan CJS. Between 2002 and 2003, Mr Mynbayev was head of the Caspian Industrial Financial Group Ltd and from June 2003 was the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan and subsequently Minister of Industry & Trade. Since February 2006, Sauat Mynbayev has headed the state-owned asset management holding company Samruk, chaired by Sir Richard Evans, former chairman of BAE Systems. Since August 2007 – Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Vice Prime Minister, Umirzak Shukeev

Umirzak Shukeev was born in 1964. He graduated from the Moscow Economics and Statistics Institute (1986) with a degree in mathematic methods in economics and he also holds a PhD in economics. Shukeev was employed as a junior and later as a leading research fellow in a number of research facilities in Almaty. He went on to work as a consultant with the Supreme Economic Council under the President; as an advisor to the President for economic issues; vice head of the Finance, Labor and Social Protection of the Population Department in the Presidential Service and in the Cabinet. In 1993-1995, he was deputy head of administration of the South Kazakhstan Oblast. Starting from November 1995, he was Minister of Economy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, from early 1998 Deputy Head of Presidential Administration, from August 1998 Governor of the Kostanai Oblast. Later he served as Astana's city Mayor, then as Governor of the South Kazakhstan Oblast. He futher was a Member of the Supreme Economic Council under the President (February – November 1997), Member of the National Council for Sustainable Development of the Republic of Kazakhstan (November 1997 – August 1998) and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Kazakhoil CJSC (March – December 1997). He was awarded with the “Parsat” Order. In September 2006, he was appointed Governor of the South Kazakhstan Oblast. Since August 2007 he is Vice-Prime-Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Finance Minister Bolat B. Zhamishev

Bolat B. Zhamishev was born in 1957. He graduated from the Kazakh Agriculture Institute and has a PhD in economics. Following graduation he was involved in scientific research.

Bolat B. Zhamishev was Vice Head of the National Bank Department, Vice Minister of Labor and Social Protection, First Vice Minister of Finance, Vice Minister of Internal Affairs, Vice Chairman of the National Bank and Chairman of the Agency for Supervision over Financial Market and Financial Institutions.

Before being appointed Finance Minister in November 2007, he served as Vice Chairman of the Executive Board of the Eurasian Bank for Development.

Emergency Minister Vladimir K. Bozhko

Vladimir K. Bozhko was born in 1949. He graduated from the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute and has a PhD in law. His military rank is Lieutenant General. After graduation, Vladimir K. Bozhko worked at the Almaty electrotechnical plant.

From 1976, he served in the national security bodies, where he ascended from a detective to the first vice head of the National Security Committee. Before being appointed Emergency Minister in November 2007, he served as Vice Chairperson of the National Security Committee.