Kanat Sharlapayev Dismissed as Minister of Industry, Appointed Presidential Assistant

President Qasym-Jomart Toqayev has dismissed Kanat Sharlapayev from his role as Minister of Industry and Construction and appointed him as his assistant, Orda.kz reports.

In his new position, Sharlapayev will oversee economic matters. He had led the ministry since September 2023.

Born in 1981 in Russia’s Saratov region, Sharlapayev earned a degree in accounting and auditing from the Social and Economic University. He later obtained a master’s in finance and management from the Cranfield School of Management in the UK.

His career has been mainly in banking. From 2006 to 2022, he held various roles at Citi Investment Bank across the UK, Czech Republic, Russia, Kazakhstan, and the UAE, working his way up to vice president. In 2022, he was appointed Board Chair of Baiterek National Management Holding.

However, before taking office as minister, he obtained a Kazakhstani passport. Addressing his renunciation of Russian citizenship, he stated it was a personal decision and that the public, the government, and the president should judge his performance.

As Minister of Industry and Construction, Sharlapayev became known for his stance on the recycling fee. Despite public opposition and an ePetition gathering 50,000 signatures, the petition was rejected, and the recycling fee remained in place — later even increasing under his tenure.

In January 2025, Sharlapayev was also elected President of the Kazakhstan Rugby Federation.

Original Author: Igor Ulitin