On the eve of International Women’s Day, 8th of March , Petrocouncil publishes the 4th Annual Review, Top 30 Women-Leaders in the Oil and Gas Industry of Kazakhstan 2023.
This year, the Review includes representatives of Oil&Gas companies of Kazakhstan, oil and gas universities, government agencies, as well as technical (production) specialists and employees of the corporate sector, who make a huge contribution to the development of the oil and gas industry in Kazakhstan.
Botagoz Ashirbekova was born on August 8, 1969 in the Kyzylorda region. In 1986 she studied at the Kazan State University and graduated in 1991 with a degree in Sociology. In 2003 Botagoz was awarded the degree of candidate of sociological sciences. In 2013 she graduated from the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation (MBA program).
She began her career in 1999 at the Kyzylorda State University named after Korkyt ata, head of the information and analytical center. From 2006 to 2008 she worked in the banking sector as the chief HR specialist.
Since 2008, she continued her career in the oil and gas industry. In 2008 she was invited to JSC Oil Company KOR as the head of the personnel management department, from 2009 to 2010 she worked in Turgai-Petroleum in a similar position.
In 2010 she was appointed to the position of Director of the HRM of Mangistaumunaigas.
From 2011 to 2015, she worked at KMG E&P as Director of the Department for Personnel Management and Development and then as Managing Director for Personnel Management and Development.
From 2019 to 2022, she worked at KMG as the Director of the HRM Department.
From September 2022 to the present, she has been working as Deputy General Director for HR and Social Affairs of JV Kazgermunai.
For many years of work, she was awarded certificates of honor by the akims of the Kyzylorda and Mangystau regions, a medal for the 30th anniversary of Independence of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Kazenergy medal, apprectiaiton letters from KMG E&P, an anniversary medal for the 120th anniversary of Kazakhstani oil, a certificate of honor from Samruk-Kazyna, appreciation letter from the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Kyrmyzy Ziyauitdenova works as Deputy Director of the Legal Department of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
She was born in 1983 in the Torgai region. In 2004 she graduated with honors from Kostanay State University named after A. Baitursynov. She began her work as the assistant prosecutor of the city of Kostanay. Over the years, she worked at the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Kazakhstan. From 2019 to the present, she has been working with the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan, where she is responsible for important issues of contracts and agreements. Kyrmyzy participates in the legal analysis of important documents in the oil and gas industry through the ministry.
Maira Utesheva graduated from the Kazakh State Academy of Management as well as the University Kunayev with Doctor degree in law.
She began her career as a specialist in the international cooperation department of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources of the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2001. She also worked in the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan. More than 9 years she worked in the KMG companies in various positions. She has been working in Eni for more than 9 years, where she was a commercial manager, and business development manager.
Since 2022, Business Development and Stakeholder Relations Manager.
Ardak Sadvokasova was born on June 3, 1961, she Graduated from Karaganda State University in 1983. Currently, she works as chief accountant in Atyrau Refinery.
She began her career as the chief tax inspector of the VAT department, head of the sector of non-state tax enterprises of the Soviet district of Karaganda (1984-1998); Leading Tax Specialist at Intergas Central Asia (1998-2000); Leading Tax Specialist of Kar-Tel LLP (2000-2001); Deputy Chief Accountant of Intergas Central Asia (2001-2003); Chief Accountant of KSS (2003-2006); Chief Accountant of Intergas Central Asia (2006-2012); Chief Accountant, Advisor to the General Director of Petroleum Operating LLP (2012-2016), inspector in Kipros LLP (June 2016-October 2016); Head of the Reporting Department of the Commercial Bank Moskommertsbank (2016-2018); head of the accounting department of the project “Transformation of the main business functions and implementation of ERP KMG (2018-July 2018)
Sofia Biteuova graduated from the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute in 1980 with a degree in Geology and Exploration of Oil and Gas Fields.
Working mainly as a geologist in Oil Tolling Capital LLP, where she has been engaged in drawing up programs for the company, monitoring the implementation of geological exploration. She also make works to develop significant projects for oil and gas exploration, significant preparation of documentation and reporting, visiting wells, sampling of cores, judicial casing strings, testing in the operation of the wellbore and in the string, major work to stimulate inflow.
Over the years, she worked as a chief geologist at FG Field LLP, at Kyzylorda Small-Tonnage Oil Refinery LLP, and at Kumkol Trans Service LLP.
She also worked in LLP “Research Institute of Production and Drilling Technologies KMG mainly as an expert, head of the interpretation and analytical department of the department of geological and geophysical research. In KMG E&P, she was Deputy Director of the Department of Geology and Geophysics, Head of the Department of Geology and Geophysics of the Department of Geology and Development. Since 2001, she has worked at the LLP “Center for Technological Research” of the National Oil Company “Kazakhoil” as the head of the sector for interpretation and generalization of the results of geophysical surveys.
Gulsara Akzhigitova graduated from Vladimir State University in 1992 with a degree in civil engineering. She has more than 20 years of experience in the oil and gas industry in the development of projects, including onshore facilities. She started at TCO as an engineer in 1999. He has exceptional experience in project management expertise at the project implementation stage. Also she has experience in budgeting and project planning, including planning, cost control, worked to develop working relationships with stakeholders and contractors. Responsible for managing the FGP project – gathering system.
She got train in Chevron, USA from 2013 to 2015 in engineering. At FGP in 2015, she managed a portfolio of various capital projects with an annual budget of around $100 million.
Gulmira Abdіgali graduated from the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute named after Lenin (1986-1991) with a degree in engineer-geologist.
In 1999-2001 she graduated from the Almaty Institute of Economics and Statistics with a degree in accounting and auditing.
In 1991-1993 she worked at KulsaryMunayGas as a well survey operator.
In 1993-2006 she was the head of the economic department at the Embamunaigas.
In 2008-2021 she was Financial Director of Embamunayekologiya LLP, Zhylyoi Bolashak LLP.
Since 2021 till present she is General Director of Caspian Petroleum Company LLP.
Olga Borisova is Operational Excellence Controller in KPO (Contracts and Procurement). Olga has been working at KPO for over 20 years, where she started as a department assistant and interpreter. Further she was promoted to the managing positions inside C&P.
Olga graduated from West Kazakhstan State University.
She joined KPO in 2002 as a warehouse assistant. Since that time, she has gone through all possible stages of development – assistant, specialist, leading specialist, coordinator, head of the sector, and so on. Her tasks include:
– monitoring the compliance of each employee with work procedures, legal requirements, as well as establishing and optimizing the work processes of the entire procurement department. As a leader, she supports employees where she receives feedback to improve the efficiency.
Gulzira Utetileuova is the Strategic Planning Manager in Chevron Eurasia Business Unit.
Gulzira graduated from the Almaty School of Management with an MBA degree, as well as a bachelor’s degree from KazGU in 1998. She has over 20 years of experience at Chevron, where she started as a planning analyst in 2003. She got training in the USA and also worked as an project manager responsible for Chevron’s investment in Kazakhstan. Since 2017, he has been working as a strategic planning manager.
Gulnara Bulekbayeva graduated from Moscow State University named after Lomonosov, Faculty of Economics (Department of Political Economy) in 1988 and postgraduate studies in 1994.
Since 2012 he has been working at KMG Kashagan B.V. where she was manager for compliance control and audit, head of the service for the sale of assets, manager for managing PSA issues, and business support manager. From 2002 to 2012 she worked at Agip Kazakhstan North Caspian Operating Company N.V. as Deputy Director of the Department of Finance, Taxes and Control, Regional Tax Manager, Head of the Regional Tax Division, Senior Tax Adviser.
She began her career at the Kazakh Scientific Research Geological Oil Institute in 1982 as a laboratory assistant in the well casing laboratory.
Bibinur Yusupova was born in 1979. She has three higher educations: in 2000 she graduated from Atyrau University with a degree in Law and Economics, in 2017 she graduated from Almaty Management University with a degree in Business Administration, and in 2018 she graduated from Atyrau Engineering and Humanitarian Institute with a degree in Construction .
In 2009 she founded the construction company “Successful attempt” in construction in the oil and gas sector of the Atyrau region. For 14 years of experience in the construction sector, she managed projects in the national oil and gas company Embamunaigas JSC as a general contractor and built facilities such as “Construction of water treatment facilities at the Prorva industrial base”, NGDU Zhyloymunaigas; “Sewage WWTP with SPS and evaporation fields for social facilities of the Vostochny Makat field”, NGDU Dossormunaigaz; “Well construction for injection of steam into the formation of the Moldabek field”, NGDU Kainarmunaigas; “Reconstruction of the system for collecting and transporting liquids at NGDU Kainarmunaigas”; “Gas supply of objects of the Zholamanov field”; “Construction of a high-pressure gas pipeline “S.Zhanatalap-S.Balgimbaev”; “Strengthening the protective Dam of the Zapadnaya Prova field with Reno mattresses”; “Construction of a road from the Kulsary-Sarykamys road to the GZU No. 8 Dosmukhambetovskoye field”, NGDU Zhylyoymunaigas; “Construction of gas supply lines and an infrared gas radiant heating system for the buildings of the ESR Kulsary, Prorva” and others.
Elena Khusnutdinova is NCOC Marine Maintenance Superintendent. She is 35 years old, was born and raised in the city of Rudny, Kostanay region. She began her professional path with an internship at Agip KCO within the framework of Special Project 4, after which she joined the Metrology group. Since 2012, she came to the offshore installation (D Island) for the first time and since then she was promoted from Metrological Technician to Superintendent of the Offshore Complex Maintenance Group. You can learn more about Elena at https://youtu.be/clKwAcpyi5g
Gulbanu Imangaziyeva worked in KazNIPImunaigas from 2002 – 2008. In 2000 she graduated from Aktau State University named after Sh. Yessenov with a degree in oil and gas geology with the qualification of an engineer-geologist.
In 2002, she got a job at the Research Institute of KazNIPI Munaigas JSC in Aktau and worked as a specialist in the Department of Geology, in 2005 she worked as a senior specialist, from April 2007 to 2008 she held the position of a leading specialist.
Gulbanu participated in the calculation and recalculation of hydrocarbon reserves based on 2D static computer modeling.
Zhannat Yekibayeva was born on October 15, 1963 in the Mangistau region.
Graduated from the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute (mining engineer).
From 1986-1991 – Lecturer in technology.
From 1991-1992 – Environmental engineer.
From 1992-1993 – Specialist of the Department of Ecological Expertise, Mangystau Regional Department of Ecology and Bioresources.
From 1993-2001 – Leading Specialist of the Department of Ecological Expertise, Mangistau Regional Department of Ecology and Bioresources.
From 2001-2004 – Chief Specialist of the Department of Ecological Expertise, Mangystau Regional Department of Ecology and Bioresources.
From February 2004 to April 2004 – environmental engineer, Mangystau Regional Department of Ecology and Bioresources.
From 2005-2007 – General Manager for Project Management, Meerbush LLP, Aktau.
From 2008-2010 – Head of the Environmental Protection Service, Meerbush LLP, Aktau.
From 2011-2011 – Engineer of the 1st category of the Service for Environmental Protection and Radiation Safety, Mangistaumunaigas JSC, Aktau.
From 2011-2015 – Head of the Service for Environmental Protection and Radiation Safety, Mangistaumunaigas JSC, Aktau.
From May 2015 to the present – Head of the Service for Environmental Protection and Greenhouse Gases, Mangistaumunaigas JSC, Aktau.
Gaukhar Sadykova was born on November 26, 1983, in 2005. Graduated from the Kazakh Academy of Transport and Communication named after Tynyshpaeva with a degree in Finance and Credit.
She has been working in NMSC Kazmortransflot since March 27, 2006. Currently holds the position of Director of the Department of Business Planning and Corporate Finance.
Gaukhar could contribute to:
- Development of financial and economic models for investment projects of KMTF;
- Work with JSC “Islamic Bank “Al Hilal” to finance the project on 3 tugs for FGP TCO;
- Preparation of materials on the issue of Eurobonds by KMG;
- Automation of treasury operations;
- Participation in the Investment project “Acquisition of 2-oil tankers with a deadweight of 8000 tons.
Oksana Anikina was born on January 18, 1977. She graduated from Karaganda State University named after. E.A. Buketova (1994-1998) with a degree in law. Oksana also graduated from the Novosibirsk State University of Economics and Management (2007-2010) with a degree in Finance and Credit and Almaty Management University (2012-2014) with a degree in Management, Master of Business Administration.
Experience:
1998-2002 – Legal Counsel, Leading Legal Counsel of the Claims Department
2002-2014 – head of the legal department
2014-2016 – managing director for legal affairs
2016-2018 – Chief Lawyer
2018-2022 – Director of the Department of Legal and Documentation Support
From June 06, 2022 to the present – Acting Deputy General Director for Corporate Functions of Pavlodar Refinery.
Awards
Medal “30 years of Pavlodar Refinery” (2008), medal in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Pavlodar region (2012), medal “35 years of Pavlodar Refinery” (2013), medal “40 years of Pavlodar Refinery” (2018), anniversary medal “Kazakhstan munaiyna 120 zhyl” (2019).
Assel Nurzhigitova is Kazakhstan Content Planning & Supplier Development Supervisor at TCO. Assel has worked in SCM department of TCO for more than 10 years and since 2016 she has been working as a supervisor of the Kazakhstan Content Planning and analytical group, supporting SCM. Since 2020 she moved to the DGD (Deputy General Director) group where she is engaged not only in supporting SCM, but also in the development of the local market and manufacturers.
Assel Ibrayeva is a Corporate Relations Adviser at Shell Development Kazakhstan B.V.
Assel graduated from Kokchetav State University. She began her career at the EU Delegation. Assel has been working with Shell for over 12 years where she was an advisor for external relations and government relations. She also worked for BG as a communications and marketing advisor.
Bakytgul Yesirkepova is the Deputy Director for Operations Services at PetroKazakhstan Kumkol Resources.
She was born on September 4, 1969, in the city of Aralsk, Kyzylorda region.
From 1986 to 1991 she studied at the Polytechnic Institute.
In 1991, she began working at the Kumkol field as a 4th category operator. During her work she was awarded with certificates of honor and awards from the:
- 2001 – Appreciation letter from Labor Union of JSC “Hurricane Kumkol Munai”
- 2004 – Certificate of honor of the Vice-President of PKKR
- 2006 – Appreciation letter from the President of PKKR.
- 2008 – Certificate of honor “The best employee of PKKR in 2008”
- 2009 – Letter of Gratitude from “KazEnergy” Association
- 2011 – Silver “President’s Award”.
Nurzhamal Bazarbayeva is the head of the planning department of geological and technical activities of Mangystaumunaigas. She was born on October 20, 1969, in the Mangistau region. Graduated from the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute (Drilling of oil and gas fields, mining engineer).
From 1993-1998 – Technician-engineer, Department of Drilling Operations “Ozenmunaigaz”, Zhanaozen.
From 1998-2001 – Engineer of the field development laboratory, LLP “Engineering and Technology Center” KMG branch of Zhanaozen.
From 2001-2004 – Leading engineer of the geological group, LLP “Engineering and Technology Center” KMG branch of Zhanaozen.
From 2004-2008 – Leading Engineer of the Technological Group for the Development of the Uzen, Karamandybas Fields of the Specialized Directorate for Enhanced Oil Recovery (SUPNP) of the Production Branch of Ozenmunaigas, Zhanaozen.
From 2008-2015 – Senior engineer of the department of enhanced oil recovery and intensification of oil production (EOR and IOP) KMG E&P “Aktau Branch” Engineering Center “.
From 2015-2016 – Senior Engineer of the Development Improvement Department of KazNIPImunaigas JSC.
From August 2016 to December 2016 – Deputy Head of the Planning Department of Geological and Technical Measures (GTM) of the Department of Geology and Field Development, Mangistaumunaigas JSC
From December 2016 to the present – Head of the Planning Department of Geological and Technical Measures (GTM) of the Department of Geology and Field Development, Mangistaumunaigas JSC.
Mariyash Aibassova is a founder of APEC Training Center, Ambassador of Quality Education and Human Capital Development of Kazakhstan.
She has experience working in USA, Great Britain, Africa. She graduated from KazGU (Mechanical mathematics), KIMEP (MBA), GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY (MSc Statistics) with Bolashak Fellowship.
Experience:
October 2016 – present, APEC Training Center LLP, Atyrau. Director
August 2015 – September 2016, Dexters Group, London, data manager
April 2013 – August 2015, Trinity College London, London Quality and Standards Coordinator
September 2009 – March 2013, Trinity College London, London Data Review Officer
October 2008 – May 2009, RBS (Kazakhstan) SB JSC, Almaty Junior Product Manager at Royal Preferred Banking
Summer 2008, Georgetown University, Washington DC Research Fellow, Department of Mathematics
July 2005 – August 2006, Kazakhstan Institute of Economics and Strategic Studies (KIMEP), Almaty Database Specialist
August 2001 – August 2004, National Science and Technology Center, Almaty Senior Technician Education: Master of Business Administration, 2014, Kazakhstan Institute of Management, Economics and Strategic Studies (KIMEP), Almaty Master of Science in Mathematics and Statistics, 2009, Georgetown University , Washington DC Bachelor in Fundamental Mathematics, 2001, Kazakh State University, Almaty.
Raikhan Suleimenova has a PhD degree, she works as a senior lecturer at the Oil and Gas Faculty of the Atyrau University of Oil and Gas.
Raikhan worked from 2006 to 2012 as a process engineer at the Central Oil and Gas Division at the Kumkol field, Turgai-Petroleum JSC. Since 2015, she moved to the academic field where she works as a senior lecturer at the Atyrau University of Oil and Gas named after Safi Utebaev.
Raikhan graduated from the Kazakh National Technical University named after K.I.Satpayev with a degree in Oil and Gas Business.
Bagilya Karsybayeva is the team lead of the development planning at NCOC. Bagila graduated from KTBU, University of Turin (Italy) with a degree in oil and gas engineering, Eni Corporate University with a master’s degree in energy and environmental management and economics.
Bagila is the chair of the SPE Atyrau Section. She worked as a petroleum engineer (Development) at Eni for over 5 years, where she worked on:
• Analysis and determination of the optimal field development plan through dynamic reservoir modeling,
• Subsurface support of the planning process (Budget, Forecast, Business and Strategic plans),
• Timely update of the dynamic model of Karachaganak,
• Field analysis (Experimental plan)
• Support in determining production possibilities.
Since 2019, he has been working in the direction of development planning, where she is responsible for:
– studies of the future phase of Kashagan, coordination and development of opportunities up to the stage of feasibility study and concept to determine the technical and economic feasibility of future phases of growth of Kashagan:
– Multi-billion-dollar project to support the expansion of the production site, including debottlenecking, offshore construction, drilling and land areas,
– Providing support to management,
– Management of contractors,
– Monitoring progress of plans, preparing variance analysis, highlighting problem areas and proposing solutions,
– Mentoring and developing staff using a supportive and collaborative approach, monitoring and evaluating results.
Akmaral Duysembiyeva graduated from the Chimkent Polytechnic College with a degree in chemical technology of oil and gas. She began her career at the Shymkent Oil Refinery in 1985 as a specialist in the laboratory. Then she worked as a laboratory assistant, control foreman. Since 2003 she is head of the laboratory of water-air control and reagents. With her participation, a laboratory was established, and certificates were obtained. In 2010 she was awarded the “President’s Prize” for several successful projects. She took part in the modernization of the plant in terms of the technical equipment of the laboratory.
Sagida Jumagaliyeva graduated from the Kazakh Polytechnic Institute named after Lenin, specializing in geology and exploration of oil and gas fields in 1990.
Since 2015 she has been working in the Exploration Department, where he is responsible for:
– efficient exploration work; organizing the collection, systematization and provision of geological and geophysical data on oil and gas promising blocks / areas and fields;
– preparation of proposals for increasing the resource base of the Company, draft long-term and annual plans, activities of the Company for the implementation of programs for additional exploration of oil and gas fields;
Also, Sagida worked at KMG in the Department of Geology and Geophysics, as well as at CNPC-Aktobemunaigas, the Department of Exploration and Development of Oil and Gas Fields
She began her career at JSC NIPIneftegaz as a leading specialist in 1990.
Mira Nazbekova works as the head of the PR department of CNPC-Aktobemunaigas. She was born in 1989 on May 10 in Aktobe, Kazakhstan.
Mira works at CNPC-Aktobemunaigas since August 2015. Mira graduated from China University of Petroleum (Beijing) with a bachelor’s degree in Geological Engineering (2008-2012) and a master’s degree in Geological Engineering from China University of Petroleum (Beijing) (2012-2015).
She has awards:
– appreciation letter from the President of “CNPC – Central Asia – Russia” for active participation in the process of simultaneous translation at “Xth Eurasian Forum KAZENERGY” – 2015
– Excellence in production based on the results of production and economic activities of CNPC-Aktobemunaigas in 2016.
– Appreciation letter from the Akim of the Aktobe region on the occasion of the International Women’s Day on March 8 – 2019
– Medal of the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan “Munai-gaz keshenin damuyna қoskan үlesі үshin” – 2021
Saule Zholdayakova works as the head of the hydrogen technology research laboratory at KMG Engineering.
Saule graduated from Tokai University (Japan) where she received a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree (degree in environmental studies) and doctor of technical sciences. Her research focus is related to hydrogen energy systems and hydrogen storage methods using metal hydrides. She created the first hydrogen energy center in Central Asia. Saule is also working to convert Kazakhstan’s energy consumption from fossil fuels. Also, she has various scientific articles and publications related to hydrogen topics.
Anastasia Zryachkina was born on June 24, 1984, graduated from Atyrau State University named after Kh.Dosmukhamedov (major in translation).
She has has been working in the international recruitment company “Airswift” since October 18, 2021. Currently, she holds the position of Head of the Recruitment Department. Anastasia has more than 20 years of work experience in this field. She also has international experience in the UK.
The main task of Zryachkina Anastasia are: to select professional staff for various clients, according to their requirements; competently direct recruiters to find the best specialists for clients; develop a competent approach in conducting interviews together with clients; active participation in the process of interviews and discussions of its results; holding various seminars and master classes for students of higher educational institutions of the Republic of Kazakhstan; consulting for graduate students on employment / resume writing and interviews; conducting a market analysis of salaries for the further recruitment process; work with the Department of Labor on a social program for graduates for further employment.
During the period of work, she trained more than 30 young specialists, who are now already in high positions both in Kazakhstan and abroad. Recruiting and training over 20 graduate students. Experience in both internal and external recruitment processes. She received more than 20 appreciations for the timely and professional approach.