Timur Kulibayev | |
|---|---|
| Born | Timur Askaruly Kulibayev 10 September 1966 |
| Nationality | Kazakh |
| Alma mater | Moscow State University |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 4 |
Timur Askaruly Kulibayev (Kazakh: Тимур Асқарұлы Құлыбаев, romanized: Timur Asqarūly Qūlybayev, born 10 September 1966) is a Kazakh business oligarch and son-in-law of former Kazakh president Nursultan Nazarbayev.
Kulibayev has held several positions in important state-owned enterprises that manage Kazakhstan's natural resources and has immense influence over the country's hydrocarbon industry.[1][2][3] He is the former head of Samruk-Kazyna (Kazakhstan's sovereign wealth fund) and a member of the Board of Directors of the Gazprom company from 2011 to 2022.[4][5][6] In 2020, the Financial Times reported that Kulibayev was involved in schemes to skim at least tens of millions of dollars from contracts that the Kazakhstani state made on pipeline construction.[7][8]
As of July 2022[update], he had an estimated net worth of $3.7 billion.[9] Kulibayev has been called "the most important business figure" in the Republic of Kazakhstan by The Daily Telegraph.[10]
Kulibayev was born on 10 September 1966 in Alma-Ata (now Almaty), Kazakh SSR, USSR. In 1988, he graduated from Lomonosov Moscow State University after studying "National Economy Planning".[11]
From 1988 to 1992, he was a junior research assistant at the Scientific-Research Economics Institute of Planning and Normative Standards (SREIP&NS) under the State Plan of Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, and was a director of the Scientific-Consulting Center of the Fund of Cultural, Social, Scientific and Technological Development of Kazakhstan.[12][13][14][15][16][17]
The appointment Kulibayev to the Board of Directors of the Russian largest energy company shows the particular importance of economic cooperation between Kazakhstan and the Russian Federation, as well as a recognition of high professional qualities of the Chief Executive of Samruk-Kazyna Fund.[18][10]
On 26 December 2011, Kulibayev resigned from the post of chairman of the Board of Samruk-Kazyna.[19][20]
Kulibayev joined the board of Gazprom in 2011.[7][8] In March 2022, he resigned from Gazprom's board with immediate effect.[5][6]
Since June 2008, he has been Chairman of the Kazakhstan National Committee of the World Petroleum Council.[21]
In 2020, the Financial Times reported on emails and whistleblower information which showed that staff for Kulibayev was involved in schemes that would allow Kulibayev to skim at least tens of millions of dollars from contracts that the Kazakhstani state made on pipeline construction.[7][8] Kulibayev has denied the allegations.[7][8]
Due to the 2022 Kazakh unrest, Kulibayev and his wife Dinara lost $200 million after Halyk Bank fell 16% at the London Stock Exchange.[22]
Kulibayev is married to Dinara Nursultanovna (née Nazarbayeva), daughter of Kazakhstan's long-time president Nursultan Nazarbayev,[23] who is extremely close to Vladimir Putin.[clarification needed][7][8] She and Kulibayev have three children.[24] Kulibayev also has two children with entrepreneur and socialite Goga Ashkenazi.[25]
In 2007, Kulibayev (with the help of Kazakhstani investor Kenes Rakishev) became the owner of Sunninghill Park, a country house formerly belonging to Prince Andrew, after Sarah, Duchess of York and their daughters left the property in 2006. Kulibayev paid $19.7 million for the house, $4 million over the asking price, even though there were no other bids.[26] In 2016 it was demolished and a 14-bedroom mansion was built in its place.[27]
Kulibayev is an avid fan of sports, especially golf.[28] He is a president of Kazakhstani Boxing Federation.[29] From September 2015 to February 2024, he was the President of the National Olympic Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan.[30][31]