Management Team

Assel Mukazhanova was appointed as Chief Executive Officer of the AIX from September 7, 2023.
Previously, Assel Mukazhanova has been serving as Chief Markets and Products Officer, Member of the Management Committee and since January 2023 headed the AIX as an Acting Chief Executive Officer.
Assel Mukazhanova had started her career in 1992 in Currency Operations department of Turan Bank. She has more than 25 years of experience in the financial and banking services industry and before joining AIFC/AIX, Assel held a role of Executive Director at JSC “Kazkommertsbank” focused on international banking, capital markets, investor relations, M&A and strategy issues.
Mrs. Mukazhanova has extensive work experience with the international business community being deeply involved into various milestone fund raising transactions including but not limited to syndicated loans, Eurobonds, securitization, private placements. She played a leading role in M&A transactions in the past and has been working on strategy development projects. Assel has been taking active part in pre-IPO transactions with strategic investors followed by one of the first international IPOs from Kazakhstan as well as the recently done IPO of NC JSC “Kazmunaygas”.
Assel graduated from the Kazakh Academy of Management with a degree in International Business and also followed executive courses at London and Harvard Business schools.

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*Members of the Management Committee

Zharas Mussabekov has over 15 years of experience in financial services. Prior to becoming CFO, he was the Head of Fund Operation division.

Before joining AIX, he led the Treasury Department at the National Company Kazakhstan Railways. Mr. Mussabekov also worked in the Baiterek National Management Holding’s corporate finance department and was involved in raising funds from the National Fund and the Republican budget. As an employee of the Development Bank of Kazakhstan, he participated in the Bank’s borrowings at debt capital markets and worked at the Bank’s Treasury.

Zharas started his career as an auditor at Deloitte, in the Financial Services Industry.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Eurasian National University named after L.N. Gumilyov.
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*Members of the Management Committee

Talgat is a seasoned IT Management professional with a 30-year career spanning banking, telecommunications, oil and gas, and mining industries. Most recently, he served as Country IT Officer at TotalEnergies Italy for three years. Prior to this, he held key IT leadership roles at TotalEnergies E&P, Maersk Olie & Gas, AMEC, and WorleyParsons across Kazakhstan, Denmark, UAE, and Singapore.

With a strong foundation as a software developer, Talgat pioneered application of SMS technology in Kazakhstan (2006) and contributed to the nation’s first inter-banking payment system (1999). He also played a pivotal role in developing billing systems and interfaces for Kcell and Tele2.

Talgat holds a MPhil degree from KAZGU, an MSc with Merit from the London Metropolitan University, and has completed executive programs at University of Northern London and Cambridge Judge Business School.

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*Members of the Management Committee

Olivier Gueris is a C-level Operations & Risk Management Executive with over twenty-five years of international experience within the Exchange industry.

After 7+ years as COO of Qatar Stock Exchange, crowned with an upgrade from Frontier to Emerging Market from MSCI, FTSE and S&P, Mr. Gueris moved on to Kazakhstan where he initially advised the Astana International Financial Centre to set up Astana International Exchange (AIX) and become the financial hub of Central Asia and beyond.

Prior to joining AIX, Olivier Gueris was the COO at Qatar Stock Exchange and held senior management positions at Turquoise MTF, Boston Options Exchange (BOX), the Australian Derivatives Exchange (ADX) and Euronext Paris.

Mr. Gueris holds a BA degree in Law from Université Panthéon Assas (Paris II).

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*Members of the Management Committee

Birzhan Astayev joined AIX in 2019 and was responsible for the development of products. In this capacity he worked on several projects including launch of Exchange traded notes, mobile application and launch of AIX Index.

He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry. Working in the banking industry, he led various projects, including strategy development and implementation, fund raising and relationships with key stakeholders.

He holds a bachelor's degree in finance from Kazakh State Academy of Management, graduated with honors.

Olzhas Taubayev was appointed as Managing Director of Brokers Relationship of the AIX from 12 June 2023.

He started his career as Dealer on foreign exchange and money markets desks in JSC HSBC Bank Kazakhstan, he has more than 20 years in the financial industry. He also worked for State Accumulation Fund as the Head of treading, in Monetary operations department of National Bank, was Head of Treasury in Alfa-Bank Kazakhstan and Al Hilal Bank Kazakhstan. His last position was Deputy Head of the Banking analytics and stress-testing Department in Agency of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Regulation and Development of Financial Market.

Olzhas has experience in balance sheet management, portfolio management and sales of different financial products. Throughout his career his focus was predominantly local and international capital markets.

Olzhas graduated from the Kazakh Academy of Management with a degree in International Business and he also followed Executive MBA program at Fuqua School of Business, Duke University.