Business meets politics: High-profile entrepreneur named Presidential Advisor
The press service of Akorda confirmed that famous businessman Raimbek Batalov had been appointed as External Advisor to the President of Kazakhstan. He will be responsible for the issues related to entrepreneurship development, Qazinform News Agency reports.
Born on November 21, 1970, in Almaty, Raimbek Batalov graduated from the Kazakh Academy of Architecture and Construction.
Since 1990s, he has held senior roles across metallurgy, chemical construction, energy, and agro-industrial sector. In particular, he helmed the Ridder Invest Metallurgical Complex, Novo-Dzhambul Phosphorus Plant, Tobol Grain Elevator, Merke Sugar Plant, and Shymkent Thermal Power Plant-3.
In 1992, he founded the Raimbek commercial firm, which grew into the Raimbek Group multifunctional holding.
Throughout many years, Batalov has been actively engaged in shaping the country’s business agenda by chairing the Kazakhstan Entrepreneurs Forum (from 2002), leading the Kazakhstani side of the SCO Business Council (from 2005), serving as a member of the Public Council of the Majilis (from 2007), the President of Kazakhstan’s Underwater Sports Federation (from 2009), member of the Coordination Council under the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan (from 2010), an independent expert at the EEC Consultative Committee (from 2012), Chairman of the Board of Directors at ENACTUS Kazakhstan (from 2015), and Vice President of the Asian Cycling Confederation (from 2017).
Most recently, from February 2022 through January 2026, he served as a member of the Presidium of the Kazakhstan National Chamber of Entrepreneurs, rising to Acting Chairman and later to Chairman.
Earlier, Qazinform reported that Svetlana Zhakupova had been relieved of the post as Kazakhstan's labor and social protection minister.
