Akhmedjan Essimov

Yessimov was born to a Muslim Kazakh family in the village of Internatsional of Almaty Region. He is a nephew of Nursultan Nazarbayev[1] In 1974, Yessimov graduated from Kazakh Agricultural Institute, majoring in Mechanization of Agriculture and then later from the Academy of Social Sciences under the CPSU Central Committee in 1991. He earned a PhD in Economics in 1999.

Yessimov started his professional experience in 1968 as a sports methodologist at the Druzhba State Farm; upon graduation from the institute, he worked as a mechanical engineer at the Leninsky State Farm and later as the chairman of Trade Union Working Committee at the Kazakh Research Institute of Potato and Vegetable Farming.

In 1979, he became an instructor of Organizational Department at Kaskelen District Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan and then he was elected Secretary of Leninsky State Farm Communist Party Committee. From 1982, Yessimov served as an instructor of Agriculture Department at Alma-Ata Oblast Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan. In 1983, he became the director of the Leninsky State Farm. In 1985, Yessimov was appointed as chairman of Kaskelen District Executional Committee. In 1986, Yessimov was elected as the First Secretary of Chilik District Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan.

From 1988, he occupied the positions as the First Deputy Chairman of Alma-Ata Oblast Executional Committee, chairman of the Oblast Agroindustry Committee and the secretary of Alma-Ata Oblast Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan.

In 1990, Yessimov became the First Deputy Chairman of Agroindustry Committee of Kazakh SSR, and in 1991, the First Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Food of Kazakh SSR. From September 1991 to February 1992, he served as the chairman of Almaty Oblast Congress of People's Deputies.

On 8 February 1992, Yessimov was appointed as the head of the Almaty Region. He held that position until 12 October 1994, when he was appointed as the Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan in Kazhegeldin's cabinet. On 4 March 1996, Yessimov became the State Secretary of Kazakhstan. While serving that position, he was appointed as the acting head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan on 22 July 1996. On 24 October 1996, Yessimov became the First Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan until he was appointed as the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan in Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. He was in charge of the Representation of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the EU and NATO.

On 4 April 2008, at its 9th Extraordinary Session, the Maslihat of Almaty unanimously approved Yessimov's nomination at the post of akim of the city. On 16 October 2008, at the VIII Extraordinary Nur Otan City Conference, Yessimov was elected as the chairman of the Nur Otan city wing. That same year, the Alatau district was established out of the problematic villages earlier annexed by the city.

In 2010, Yessimov continually brought up the issue of particular raise of salaries of Almaty medics and teachers to the Government referring to the high living standards in the city.[6][7]

In 2011, the Asian Winter Games were successfully hosted in Almaty; for the purpose of which sportive infrastructure was created in the city[8] Yessimov initiated establishment of municipal public transport and gradual driving private carriers out of the market.[9] That same year, the Almaty Metro was opened.

Yessimov started his policies from solution of problems of cheated participants in shared-equity residential construction. At that time, the city counted 125 residential compounds with frozen construction activities.[10] As a result, with support of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, almost all the construction investors of the city got housings[11] In less than five years, 20 new substations were constructed in the city which solved energy problems to a great extent.[12]

On 6 October 2013, by initiative of Yessimov and Olympic Champion Aleksandr Vinokurov, the Almaty Administration organized and successfully hosted the first in Kazakh history professional cycling race “Tour of Almaty” under the auspices of UCI, Category 1,2. The cycling race was broadcast by the Eurosport TV Channel.[13][14]

In 2014, for the first time in the history of the city, the gross regional product volume of Almaty exceeded 8 trillion tenge.[15] That same year, thousands of young creative teachers of the city received monetary awards of 300,000 tenge.[16] By decision of the extraordinary XXIX Session of Almaty City Mäslihat, Nauryzbai District was established,[17] and the area of the city expanded. By the end of 2014, the population of Nauryzbay exceeded 180,000 people.

Yessimov also advocated of mountain skiing tourism development in Almaty Region, claiming that it is one of the most promising economy lines.[18]

On 9 August 2015, by the order of President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Yessimov was appointed as the chairman of Board of Astana EXPO-2017 National Company.[22] Yessimov was released from his position as the Almaty äkim by the presidential decree.[23] He succeeded former äkim Adilbek Dzhaksybekov, whom had occupied the post prior after upon arrest of Talgat Ermegiyaev.[24] Immediately upon appointment of Yessimov to the post, expenses for construction of the EXPO Village were cut by 78 billion tenge, and the top management of the company was downsized twofold. To attract responsible contractors, Yessimov undertook trips to Kazakh regions. As a result, the Kazakhstani content share of the companies participating in the EXPO-2017 International Exhibition construction amounted to 90%.[25]

The budget cost of construction of the Exhibition facilities was cut by 302 billion tenge.[26]

On 21 April 2017, President Nazarbayev marked the high level of preparedness of the exhibition for operation, saying that "Commendable organization of the Exhibition hosting will once again demonstrate achievements of independent Kazakhstan to the whole world."[27]

On 23 February 2017, upon inspecting the Astana EXPO-2017 Exhibition facilities, Secretary General of the International Exhibition Bureau Vicente Loscertales declared that “it will be the best Exhibition in the recent 25 years”.[28]

Within the entire period since June 10 through September 9, the EXPO-2017 International Specialized Exhibition was visited by about 4,000,000 people.[29]

During EXPO-2017, 220 official events were organized attended by 28 heads of states, 13 speakers and secretaries general of parliaments, 10 prime ministers, 26 deputy prime ministers, 70 ministers and 48 vice ministers. 39 agreements were signed by participant countries with representative of business, scientific and educational circles of Kazakhstan in energy, construction and investment sectors. 193 revolutionary ‘green’ technologies were demonstrated, the dominant part of which is being successfully implemented in Kazakhstan.

On account of budget optimization, Astana EXPO-2017 National Company saved KZT 364 billion: 44.6% of the project initial cost. The Exhibition gave a considerable multiplicative effect to the economy of Kazakhstan. Over 1,400 small and middle scale business enterprises received orders for delivery of commodities and services for KZT 640 billion. Over 50 K jobs were created. The demand for tour operator services grew almost twofold. The number of enterprises in Astana grew by over 10%. The Astana budget tax revenues grew 1.2 times.

“The capital of Kazakhstan found itself in the focus of global attention; close attention and interest of the whole world. Astana won in the nomination of the “City of the Future” by the National Geographic version. Besides, Kazakhstan joined the list of the countries worth visiting by the New York Times version... In total, under EXPO over 6,000 various events were held. Our country strengthened its image as a dynamically developing state of the Eurasian Region. The phenomenon of EXPO promoted productive and intensive interaction of science, business and society,” declared President of Kazakhstan at the EXPO-2017 Closure Ceremony.[30]

EXPO-2017 was highly appraised by foreign visitors.

The EXPO-2017 Heritage facilities continue functioning as tourist attractions.

On 23 December 2017, by the order of Nursultan Nazarbayev, Yessimov was appointed Chairman of board of the National Welfare Fund JSC Samruk-Kazyna. [31]

In February 2018, on behalf of Yessimov, Samruk-Kazyna JSC introduced a number of changes to the procurement mechanism to expand the competitive environment, improve the quality of goods and services, and reduce costs.[32] On 19 April 2018, at a meeting of the Management Council of the NWF “Samruk-Kazyna”, the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan Nursultan Nazarbayev approved and adopted a new Development Strategy of the Fund for 2018–2028 and an updated Transformation Program.[33] That same month, Yessimov presented a new personnel policy of the “Samruk-Kazyna” National Welfare Fund.[34][35] Within the framework of it, in order to attract young talents in the group of the Fund, the programs "Zhas Orken" and "Digital Summer" are being implemented. For two years more than 100 students were employed in the Samruk-Kazyna company.[36] In 2018, it was introduced into the mechanism of off-take contracts, which allows entrepreneurs to receive in advance a guaranteed long-term order for products planned for release as part of the creation of a new production.[37] Since 2017, the Fund's debt burden has decreased by 1 trillion tenge, and the external debt - by 5.1 billion US dollars.[38] The Fund became the number one taxpayer in the country. Tax payments of the group of companies of NWF “Samruk-Kazyna JSC” for 9 months of this year amounted to 813 billion tenge, which is more by 102 billion tenge compared to the data of the same period in 2018.[39] The Saryarqa Gas Pipeline was completed on time. The gas pipeline, built within the framework of the Five Social Initiatives of the First President of Kazakhstan, connected Central Kazakhstan and the capital of our state with a single gas transmission network of the country.[40]

Under the leadership of Yessimov, Kazatomprom JSC became the first national company to successfully place its shares on the international stock exchange. The national company has successfully placed 15% of its shares worth $451 million on the London Stock Exchange. Demand exceeded supply 1.7 times.[41] The first low-cost airline FlyArystan was launched on 1 May 2019.[42]

During the crisis in 2020, the anti-crisis measures taken by NWF “Samruk-Kazyna” JSC under Yessimov's tenure made it possible to preserve the continuous operation of the Fund's portfolio companies and workers' jobs.[43]

Samruk-Kazyna entered the top-20 UN funds for the implementation of sustainable development initiatives.[44]

On 29 March 2021, Yessimov resigned from the post. Former president Nursultan Nazarbayev praised Yessimov's work, stating that under him, "Yesimov most effectively solved the tasks assigned to him in other important government positions."[45]