About us - Bulat Utemuratov Foundation

Bulat UtemuratovFoundation

The BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Bulat Utemuratov

The founder

Bulat Utemuratov - diplomat, businessman, philanthropist. He is in the top of Kazakhstan Forbes List. He is the key shareholder of Verny Capital Group of Companies and owner of Forte and Cassa Nova banks. The sphere of his business interest covers finance, telecommunication and media, hotel business, real estate, natural resources, transport and logistics, production of building materials, consumer goods and services. Bulat Utemuratov's public activities are aimed at developing education, supporting sports, promoting cultural values and health care.

Almaz Sharman

Chairman of the Board of Trustees

President of the Kazakh Academy of Preventive Medicine. A native of Kazakhstan and a citizen of the United States, Almaz Sharman has three decades of experience in the fields of biomedical science, clinical research, and healthcare management. Sharman was involved in university teaching as Associate at the Johns Hopkins University’s Bloomberg School of Public Health. Since 2010, Sharman’s primary focus has been on establishments of Academic Healthcare System at Nazarbayev University with the goal of integration of patient care with biomedical research and education.

Zhaniya Aubakirova

Member of The Board of Trustees

Kazakh pianist, teacher, professor and president of the Kazakh National Conservatory named after Kurmangazy. People's Artist of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Laureate of the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan. Holder of the Order of Arts and Literature of France. Prize winner of the European Union of Arts named after Gustav Mahler and the Golden Cross for merit to Poland.

Olzhas Suleimenov

Member of The Board of Trustees

Poet, literary scholar, the Kazakh SSR people’s writer (1990), an important Kazakh political and public figure and diplomat. Mr Suleimenov’s poems have been translated into English, French, German, Spanish, Czech, Polish, Slovakian, Bulgarian, Hungarian, Mongolian and Turkish. The renowned Kazakh poet achieved most acclaim in France where, his poetry was often published in multiple respected periodicals and a number of collections of his poems were published. Mr Suleimenov is also known for his initiation of the well-known antinuclear movement Nevada – Semipalatinsk.

Alexander Vinokurov

Member of The Board of Trustees

Kazakhstani former professional road bicycle racer and current general manager of UCI ProTeam Astana. As a competitor, his achievements include two bronze medals at the World Championships, four stage wins in the Tour de France, four in the Vuelta a España plus the overall title in 2006, two Liège–Bastogne–Liège monuments, one Amstel Gold Race, and most recently, the gold medal at the 2012 London Olympics Men's Road Race.

Armanzhan Baitasov

Member of The Board of Trustees

Businessman, journalist, publisher of Forbes Kazakhstan magazine, president of media holding company 31st Channel. Ph.D. in philology and member of the Kazakh Academy of Journalism. Mr Baitasov is also the chairman of the supervisory board of the International Academy of Business and a member of the Kazakh branch of the YPO (Young President’s Organization).