Sport
Bulat Utemuratov is a passionate supporter of tennis, having been President of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation (KTF) since 2007 and a Vice President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) since 2019, where he also sits on the board.
To date, Mr Utemuratov has invested over USD 150 million into the development of tennis in Kazakhstan, with funds directed towards launching training programs for children and establishing new academies, amongst other areas. In 2017, Mr Utemuratov’s efforts “for outstanding success in the development of tennis” were recognized by the ITF and the Asian Tennis Federation.
One of Mr Utemuratov’s major priorities has been growing participation in the sport across the country. As a result of his efforts, tennis lessons are much more affordable today than previously, with a month’s worth of lessons today costing the same as one hour did two decades ago. Meanwhile, the ITF’s tennis centers, operating in all of Kazakhstan’s major cities, reinvest their earnings in development projects.
The funding provided by Mr Utemuratov has been transformational. Currently, both the men’s and women’s national teams are in the Top 20 globally, and the sport is more popular than ever before, with 33,000 registered players at all levels.
Individual Kazakh players have also surged to the top of global rankings:
- Elena Rybakina: In 2022, Kazakhstan’s Elena Rybakina won her first Wimbledon title. In 2023, she won both the Indian Wells and Rome WTA 1000 tournaments, played at the WTA Finals, and is currently ranked as the world number four in women’s singles by the Women’s Tennis Association.
- Anna Danilina: Anna Danilina became a Grand Slam mixed doubles champion in 2023, winning the US Open with Harri Helioevaara (Finland).
- Alexander Bublik: Alexander Bublik won his maiden grass court ATP 500 title in Halle in 2023.
- Junior players: In the ITF Junior World Ranking, four Kazakh players have reached the Top 100: Amir Omarkhanov (16th), Sonja Zhiyenbayeva (17th), Asylzhan Arystanbekova (37th) and Danial Rakhmatullayev (94th).
In October 2020, Astana hosted the inaugural ATP 250 Astana Open, which went ahead despite coronavirus restrictions and was a great success, leading to the tournament returning in 2021. The event received a one-time elevation to ATP 500 status in 2022 and looking ahead, from 2024, the tournament will be played in Almaty, Kazakhstan’s largest city.
Disaster Management
A central focus of the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation is to support low-income families and people affected by natural and man-made disasters.
The Foundation works with the International Red Crescent to give financial aid to people affected by natural disasters. Since 2018, this collaboration has helped more than 16,400 Kazakhs affected by spring floods, providing over USD 1 million in aid.
Elsewhere, the Foundation provided USD 3.4 million for the construction of housing for 350 families in densely populated areas of the country since 2019, and in 2023 donated USD 5 million to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority to support the Turkish people after the devastating earthquake in Turkey and Syria on 6th February.
In November 2023, the Foundation donated USD 1 million to support the family members of 46 miners who were killed in a devastating accident in an Arcelor Mittal mine in Kazakhstan.
In 2024, Bulat Utemuratov’s Group donated around USD 30 million to support residents of the regions in Kazakhstan affected by some of the worst flooding in a century. The donation – comprising USD 24.2 million from Bulat Utemuratov’s Foundation, a USD 4.5 million donation from Beeline Kazakhstan and RG Gold, and a USD 1.1 million donation from Alidar Utemuratov – was used to provide financial support, restore vital infrastructure and rehouse local residents who have been left homeless in the Aktobe, West Kazakhstan and Akmola regions.
Urban development and social infrastructure projects
The Bulat Utemuratov Foundation is committed to investing in urban development and the construction of social facilities.
In 2020, the Foundation completed a USD 15 million reconstruction of the Almaty Botanical Garden, a popular public space in the city.
In 2022, Verny Capital, the leading Kazakhstan investment group in which Bulat Utemuratov is the key investor, announced the opening of the newly renovated campus at Narxoz University. The reconstruction of the university’s main academic building, with a total area of 30,000 square meters, was completed in a record 11 months. Two years later, in 2024, Verny opened the Emen student residence, a USD 15 million state-of-the-art 424 bed project located close to Narxoz University. Finished to the highest international standards with market-leading amenities and a focus on comfort and environmental friendliness, Emen residence was constructed to promote biodiversity, with over 100 trees and shrubs planted on-site and external areas sympathetically landscaped.
To help tackle ongoing overcrowding and aging buildings, Bulat Utemuratov’s Group, in partnership with the Bulat Utemuratov Foundation and Zhyly Zhurek Foundation (Beeline Kazakhstan), opened the two new state-of-the-art schools in Kazakhstan’s Almaty region. Located in the city of Esik and the village of Shelek, each school accommodates 900 students to improve the region’s educational infrastructure. Both schools are similar to a facility completed by the Foundation in the city of Kosshy, in the Akmola region, last year. The Foundation fully financed the USD 17 million project, which caters for 1,500 pupils, and donated the completed school to the local government of Kosshy to own and operate. Each school is equipped with the latest technology and meets contemporary, global standards for inclusivity and environmental sustainability. In addition to standard classrooms, the schools offer advanced facilities to foster learning and innovation.
Elsewhere, the Foundation has funded the construction of a new passenger terminal at Kyzylorda airport. The 13,000 square meter, two-story terminal will welcome its first passengers by the end of 2024.
Looking ahead to 2025, the Foundation is developing a new community center with facilities for sports, arts, entertainment, and co-working in Kosshy.
Education
Beyond his work with the Foundation, Bulat Utemuratov is also directly involved in a number of education-focused projects. He has a keen interest in his alma mater Narxoz University and has provided funding for its redevelopment for many years.
Mr Utemuratov also supports the British-run Haileybury Schools in Almaty and Astana, which pioneer an innovative approach to education in Kazakhstan. In 2025, Haileybury Astana in partnership with Verny Capital, the leading Kazakhstan investment group in which Bulat Utemuratov is the key investor, is planning to open new state-of-the-art STEM Centre. This centre will be a nexus for technological exploration, featuring advanced resources for prototyping, 3D printing, robotics, and complex scientific experiments. Both the University and the schools are non-profit institutions, and the proceeds from their activities are spent on fostering young talent, upgrading facilities and improving educational opportunities.
Health and social care
The Foundation’s flagship project “Autism. One World for All” provides early intervention programs for children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and support for their families. More than 16,000 children with ASD have benefited from the Foundation’s 13 Asyl Miras Autism Centers, since they were founded 10 years ago.
By working with children at an early age, supplying resources for their families, and raising awareness of ASD, the Foundation helps to foster a more open, inclusive, and informed society.
In addition, Mr Utemuratov donated USD 1 million for the creation of a rehabilitation center for children with cerebral palsy in Almaty.
Arts
Bulat Utemuratov supports the Batyrkhan Shukenov Foundation and the Kazakh National Conservatoire of Music. Mr Utemuratov is a regular patron of the Kulanshi Centre of Modern Fine Arts in the Forte Bank Kulanshi Art Space.
