Kairbek Uskenbayev, former head of Kazakhstan's Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development, has established a private company, Ascend Ltd., at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), reports infohub.kz.
According to the financial centre's official registry, the entity was registered on September 3, 2026. Its primary activity is listed as holding company operations.
The declared capital of Ascend Ltd. is US$100: the company issued 100 ordinary shares with a nominal value of one dollar each. Kairbek Uskenbayev is listed as the sole shareholder.
The 61-year-old Uskenbayev led the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development from January 2022 to January 2023. Prior to that, he served as First Vice Minister in the same ministry, and held positions as Vice Minister of National Economy, First Vice Minister of Regional Development, Vice Minister of Tourism and Sport, and Managing Director of the national management holding Baiterek.
Over the years, the former official has sat on the boards of directors of Baiterek holding, Kazakhstan's Housing Construction Savings Bank, and the Kazakhstan Mortgage Company.
Notably, according to Adata, this is the first company where Uskenbayev has been a founder. Previously, he held only managerial roles, and exclusively in state institutions – in military unit 20015 of the Ministry of Defense and, of course, in the Ministry of Industry and Infrastructure Development.