Umirzak Shukeyev (, ''Өмірзақ Естайұлы Шөкеев;'' born 12 March 1964) is a Kazakh politician who's serving as the akim of

Turkistan Region Turkistan Region, formerly known as South Kazakhstan Region from 1992 to 2018 and Chimkent Region from 1963 to 1991, is the southernmost region of Kazakhstan, bordering Uzbekistan. It had a population of 2,088,510 as of the 2022 Kazakhstan cens ...

since 2019. Prior to that, he served as the Minister of Agriculture from 2017 to 2019, chairman of

Samruk-Kazyna Joint-stock company «Sovereign Wealth Fund «Samruk-Kazyna» (, ), officially known as the National Welfare Fund "Samruk-Kazyna" (), is a sovereign wealth fund and joint stock company in Kazakhstan which owns, either in whole or in part, a num ...

, Kazakhstan's

sovereign wealth fund A sovereign wealth fund (SWF), or sovereign investment fund, is a state-owned investment fund that invests in real and financial assets such as stocks, Bond (finance), bonds, real estate, precious metals, or in alternative investments such as ...

from 2011 to 2017, First Deputy Prime Minister from 2009 to 2011, and prior to that,

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a Minister (government), government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to th ...

from 2007, akim of South Kazakhstan from 2006 to 2007, akim of

Astana Astana is the capital city of Kazakhstan. With a population of 1,423,726 within the city limits, it is the second-largest in the country after Almaty, which had been the capital until 1997. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim (river), Ishim ...

from 2004 to 2006, akim of

Kostanay Region Kostanay Region (; ) is a region of Kazakhstan. Its administrative center is the city of Kostanay. The population of the region is 835,686. The population living in Kostanay is 207,000 which is equivalent to 23% of the region. Geography Kosta ...

from 1998 to 2004, Minister of Economy and Trade from 1995 to 1997 while serving as Deputy Prime Minister.

Biography

Early life and career

Shukeyev was born in

Turkistan Turkestan,; ; ; ; also spelled Turkistan, is a historical region in Central Asia corresponding to the regions of Transoxiana and East Turkestan (Xinjiang). The region is located in the northwest of modern day China and to the northwest of its ...

. He graduated from the Moscow Economics and Statistics Institute in 1986, after having studied economics and mathematics. After graduating, he was employed as junior and leading research fellow in a number of research facilities in

Almaty Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains ...

. From 1992, Shukeyev on to work as a consultant with the Supreme Economic Council under the President; as an advisor to the President for economic issues; vice head of the Finance, Labor and Social Protection of the Population Department in the Presidential Service and in the Cabinet. In 1993, he became the deputy head of Administration of

South Kazakhstan Region Turkistan Region, formerly known as South Kazakhstan Region from 1992 to 2018 and Chimkent Region from 1963 to 1991, is the southernmost region of Kazakhstan, bordering Uzbekistan. It had a population of 2,088,510 as of the 2022 Kazakhstan cens ...

Political career

In November 1995, Shukeyev was appointed as the Minister of Economy. While serving from the position, he became the

Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan The Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan () is a member in the Government of Kazakhstan. The post is usually led by multiple people who carry out their activities in accordance with the policies established by the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan and ...

in July 1997 until dissolution of the government in October 1997. From February to November 1997, Shukeyev was a member of the Supreme Economic Council under the President and then a member National Council for Sustainable Development of Kazakhstan from November 1997 to August 1998. In March 1997, Shukeyev became a chairman of the Supervisory Board of Kazakhoil CJSC and served that position until December 1997. In April 1998, Shukeyev became the deputy head of the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan. On 19 August 1998, Shukeyev was appointed as the akim of

. Later he served as the akim of

from 20 March 2004 until being appointed as the akim of

on 20 September 2006. On 27 August 2007, Shukeyev was appointed as the

under Massimov's cabinet until he became the First Deputy Prime Minister from 3 March 2009, making him the first person to hold such post since 2004. He was dismissed from duties on 26 December 2011 and the following day on 27 December, Shukeyev became the chairman and the member of the Board of Directors of the JSC

. On 15 December 2017, Shukeyev became the Minister of Agriculture. After the government was dismissed on 21 February 2019, he was shortly appointed as the akim of

on 25 February 2019 – 26 August 2022.

Awards

* Awarded the Order of Parasat.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Shukeyev, Umirzak Living people 1964 births Dughlats Government ministers of Kazakhstan Mayors of Astana Recipients of the Order of Parasat Ministers of economy of Kazakhstan Ministers of agriculture of Kazakhstan People from Turkistan Region Moscow State University of Economics, Statistics, and Informatics alumni Deputy prime ministers of Kazakhstan First deputy prime ministers of Kazakhstan