President Tokayev appoints former digital minister as new head of Kazakhtelecom

Ex-minister of Digital Development, Innovations and Aerospace Industry Bagdat Musin is set to be the new chair of Kazakhtelecom, the KazTag news agency reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

As the media outlet reported, Musin will replace Kuanyshbek Yesekeyev, appointed as an adviser to President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev on June 10. Kursiv has already requested Kazakhtelecom to comment on the staff changes.

Musin served as a digital minister from September 2020 to April 2024. He had also worked as a deputy minister for three months before being appointed minister. Over his career, he worked as the chairman of Kazpost, National Informational Technologies, JSC (eGov.kz operator) and the Committee for Control Automation of Public Services and Coordination of Public Service Centers.

Under Musin’s leadership, the digital ministry held biddings for 5G frequencies in December 2022. As a result, Kcell (the Kcell and Activ brands) and Mobile Telecom Service (Tele2 and Altel) paid the government about $345.5 million.

Also, Musin was one of those behind the privatization of Mobile Telecom Service controlled by the state-owned Kazakhtelecom. The general meeting of Kazakhtelecom shareholders has already approved the deal with Power International Holding from Qatar and will be closed shortly. In 2023, Kazakhtelecom reported an 18.9% decline in its net profit to $230.3 million, although the company’s revenue increased by 8.4% to $1.5 billion.