Kazakhstan has confirmed the detention of Nurlan Zhakupov, chairman of the board of Samruk-Kazyna JSC, who has led the holding for several years, infohub.kz reports.

Nurlan Zhakupov was appointed chairman of the board of Samruk-Kazyna JSC in April 2023. According to the Paragraph information system, he was born on March 31, 1978, and speaks four languages, including English and Spanish.

In 2001 he graduated from the Faculty of International Economic Relations at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation. He holds a master's degree in economics and a candidate degree in economic sciences.

According to available information, from 2001 to 2003 Zhakupov worked as a financial analyst at the Eurasian Industrial Association (ENRC). From 2003 to 2004 he served as business manager at Chambishi Metals PLC. From 2004 to 2007 he was a project manager at Research, Investment and Development Ltd.

In 2007–2009 he was an equity analyst covering exchange-traded companies on the basic materials team at Credit Suisse. From 2009 to 2011 he was managing director and a member of the board of Tau-Ken Samruk National Mining Company JSC.

From 2011 to 2012 he was director of the investment banking department and head of the Astana representative office of RBS (Kazakhstan) Subsidiary Bank JSC. In 2012–2016 he was executive director of the investment banking department and headed the UBS AG Almaty Representative Office in Astana.

From 2016 to 2017 he was managing director for development and investment and a member of the board of Kazatomprom National Atomic Company JSC. From 2017 to 2019 he was chairman of the board of Astana Social and Entrepreneurial Corporation JSC. In 2019–2020 he was Rothschild & Co's representative in Kazakhstan. From 2020 to 2023 he was chairman of the board of Kazakhstan Investment Development Fund (KIDF) Management Company Ltd.

As reported earlier, National Security Committee officers detained Nurlan Zhakupov, chairman of the board of Samruk-Kazyna JSC, and Yelzhas Otynshiyev, chairman of the board of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy National Company JSC. The detentions took place yesterday, November 11. They and other individuals are suspected of committing a corruption-related crime, the National Security Committee said. It added that investigative actions are currently under way.