About Kenes Rakishev

Kenes (Kenges) Rakishev is a prominent investor and entrepreneur regarded as one of the most influential businessmen in Kazakhstan. Rakishev has business interests spanning technology, oil & gas, finance, shipbuilding, and metals & mining industries, and serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of several industry leaders including Kazakhstan Petrochemical Industries, SAT & Company, Net Element and Vyborg Shipyard.

He is also Chairman and Co-Founder of Sirin Labs, which has developed the world’s first blockchain smart phone Finney, and Managing Partner at Singulariteam-1 and Singulariteam-2 venture capital funds that focus on innovative tech companies.

Kenges Rakishev

Early Life and Education

Kenes (Kenges) Rakishev was born on 14 July 1979 in Kazakhstan. After completing his basic education, he enrolled at the Kazakh National Law Academy and graduated with a law degree in 2000. Two years later, he graduated with a BA in International Economics from the Kazakh Economic University in Almaty.

In 2007, Kenes achieved an Advanced Management, Business Administration and General Management Diploma from the Saïd Business School in Oxford. He also achieved London Business School certification in Developing Strategy for Value Creation, Business Administration, Management and Operations.

Career

Throughout his career, Kenes Rakishev has held high-ranking positions in the public and private sector. His past public roles include working as an advisor to the Interior Ministry and the Department of Education in Kazakhstan.

Early in his career, Rakishev worked at Bank TuranAlem in the client relationship department and at KazTransGas in the marketing and commerce department. Between 2000 and 2002 he worked at Intergas Central Asia as Director of Marketing.

He then served as First Deputy General Director of Exports for KazMunayGas before returning to KazTransGas as Deputy General Director of Marketing and Commerce.

From 2004 until 2005, Kenes took on the role of General Director at Mercury LLP before starting as CEO and Chairman of the Board at SAT & Company, a role he continues to hold to this day.

Since October 2004, Rakishev has been the Vice President of the Union of Chambers of Commerce of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the First Vice President of the Association of National Sports of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

In October 2012, he became Chairman of Net Element International Inc. and in May 2013 he was appointed Director of Singulariteam GP Ltd. and Singulariteam PTE Ltd. In 2013, he also founded Sirin Labs together with Moshe Hogeg and Tal Cohen. Later that year, in December, Rakishev became a Non-Executive Director of Central Asia Metals Plc., a role which he held until 2018. In February 2014, he became Chairman of the Board of BTA Bank.

Investments

Kenes Rakishev’s investments in metals and mining include interests in SAT & Company and Petropavlovsk. In finance and payments processing, he has invested in BTA Bank, Standard Insurance and Net Element. Previously, he also invested in Kazakhstan’s most profitable retail chain Magnum and TV channel Channel 7.

Rakishev provides asset management through Fincraft Investment House and makes tech-oriented venture capital investments through his Singulariteam-1 and Singulariteam-2 funds.

At the end of 2017, Rakishev’s blockchain consumer electronics company Sirin Labs raised more than $157 million through the 5th largest ICO to date, to develop the world’s first blockchain smartphone Finney.

More Investments

Charity and Corporate Social Responsibility

Rakishev is an avid supporter of sport development in Kazakhstan. He contributes to several sport organisations both independently and through SAT & Company.

In 2002 Kenes Rakishev and his wife Aselle Tasmagambetova founded the Saby Foundation, which focuses on giving young people in need access to a good education and career opportunities, improving healthcare in Kazakhstan, and empowering talented entrepreneurs.

Kenes supports several business initiatives in Kazakhstan. He holds a number of senior positions that allow him to help young entrepreneurs and business owners develop their ventures.

More about philanthropy
Children at school- Saby Charitable Foundation Projects
Kenges Rakishev and his wife Asel Tasmagambetova
Kenges Rakishev
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Achievements and Honours

According to Forbes, Kenes Rakishev is among the 50 most influential people in Kazakhstan. He was awarded several accolades for his contribution to Kazakhstan, including the ‘20 Years of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan’ medal, and the ‘10 Years of the City of Astana’ medal. Moreover, Rakishev was also honoured with the ‘Kurmet Order’ and the ‘Order of Akhmat Kadyrov’, which is known as the highest award of the Chechen Republic.