Forbes Kazakhstan ranked billionaire and owner of ForteBank, Bulat Utemuratov, as the most influential businessman in Kazakhstan in 2025. According to the ranking, he climbed from third place last year.
The top five includes:
- Vyacheslav Kim, co-founder of Kaspi.kz and owner of Alatau City Bank (retained position);
- Nurlan Smagulov, owner and founder of Astana Group, which includes Astana Motors (up two positions);
- Timur Turlov, CEO and majority shareholder of Freedom Holding Corp. (retained position);
- Timur Kulibayev, co-owner of Halyk Bank (up three positions).
The leader of the 2024 ranking, Vladimir Kim, a shareholder of KAZ Minerals, dropped to sixth place.
Furthermore, five businessmen made a comeback to the list of the most influential Kazakhstanis after being absent in 2024. These are Kairat Boranbayev (20th place), Baurzhan Ospanov (41st place), Almas Kudaibergen (47th place), Aidarbek Khojanazarov (49th place), and Yerlan Suleimenov (50th place).
There is also a newcomer to the list — Aigazy Kussainov, who owns International Educational Corporation Ltd., whose structure includes the Kazakh Leading Academy of Architecture and Civil Engineering, Kazakh-American University and Digital College.
Forbes Kazakhstan also noted that the average age of the ranking’s members is 55. The oldest is Serikzhan Seitzhanov (76 years old), in 27th position. Only two members are younger than 40 years old — Timur Turlov (37 years old) and Shukhrat Ibragimov (39 years old).
