Kcell: Vyacheslav Kim Now Owns Almost a Quarter of Shares

Vyacheslav Kim, Kazakhstan’s richest businessman, co-owner of Kaspi.kz, and owner of Alatau City Bank, has consolidated control over almost a quarter of mobile operator Kcell’s shares, Orda.kz reports.

According to the Telegram channel Manual Economics, Kim purchased KC Holding Ltd from another Forbes-listed billionaire, Galimzhan Yessenov (No. 19 on the list, with an estimated net worth of $560 million).

KC Holding controls 14.87 percent of Kcell’s shares, and Kim has now become its sole owner. The transaction was completed in early October.

Kim also holds an additional 9.08 percent stake in Kcell through Alatau City Bank — formerly Jusan Bank —another asset previously belonging to Yessenov. With this latest acquisition, Kim’s total stake in Kcell has reached 23.95 percent.

Manual Economics notes that Yessenov originally obtained his 14.87 percent stake in July 2023 from Pioneer Technologies S.A.R.L. Last September, he transferred the shares to his own company, KC Holding Ltd., registered at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC), which then became part of the operator’s ownership structure.

Original Author: Nikita Drobny