The biography of the newly appointed Chairman of the National Bank, Timur Suleimenov, is marked with interesting and even dramatic turns. He replaced Galymzhan Pirmatov in this position, and it so happened that this is the second time in Suleimenov’s career when he replaces Pirmatov.
Renowned political analyst Daniyar Ashimbayev writes about this in his Telegram-channel:
The appointment of Timur Suleimenov as the 12th Chairman of the National Bank during the years of independence (following Ryabov, Sembaev, Jandosov, Damitov, Marchenko, Saidenov, Marchenko again, Kelimbetov, Akishev, Dosaev, and Pirmatov) has taken place. He is a 45-year-old native of Pavlodar, the son of a doctor, and a Bolashak scholar.
He worked at the local branch of «Ernst & Young,» KMG E&P, and in 2009, he made the Vice Minister of Economy and Budget Planning (under Bakhyt Sultanov), incidentally replacing Galymzhan Pirmatov.
He then served as a deputy to Aitzhanova, Kelimbetov, and Sagintayev at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade. In 2012, he became a member of the board (minister) for economics and financial policy of the Eurasian Economic Commission.
In December 2016, following the removal (and subsequent arrest of Kuandyk Bishimbayev), he assumed the position of Minister of National Economy in Sagintayev’s government, where he appeared to be a favorite. However, Suleimenov did not join Askar Mamin’s government (he was replaced by the ever-smiling Ruslan Dalenov) and was employed as a deputy at the National Bank, which was just taken over by Dosaev. He worked there for a mere 3 weeks, and immediately after the change of power, he became an economic advisor to the president (joining the Presidential Administration 2 days before Sagintayev, even during the time of Isekeshev).
After the reorganization of the Presidential Administration in July of the same year, Suleimenov became a deputy, and after the events in January, he became the first deputy head of the presidential administration. He supervised matters related to the economy and state governance reforms (as well as ADGS).
He was a member of:
- The State Commission for Economic Growth Recovery,
- The High Council for Reforms,
- The Foreign Investors Council,
- The Energy Council under the President,
- The Commission for Ranking Regions and Cities by Ease of Doing Business,
- The Council for the Mining and Metallurgical Industry,
- The Council for Geology and Subsoil Use for Solid Minerals under the President,
- The Council for Managing the AIFC,
- The Boards of Directors of the National Welfare Fund «Samruk-Kazyna» and «Baiterek»,
- He also led the Center for Analysis and Monitoring of Socio-Economic Reforms under the President.
Under his leadership, numerous strategies, concepts, plans, doctrines, and programs were developed, the effectiveness of which can only be sadly acknowledged.
Specifically, he headed the block that the head of the state accused of lacking ideas and creativity.
Suleimenov was occasionally considered for the positions of prime ministers, vice-prime ministers, and chairmen of the National Bank, and eventually, he was directed to the National Bank after the elimination of deputy positions in the Presidential Administration.
