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
In addition to providing local relief, in 2023 the Foundation donated USD$5 million to help Turkey recover from the devastating earthquake, and USD$1 million to support the families of miners who lost their lives in the Kostenko mine explosion in October 2023.
In 2024, the Foundation allocated over USD$26 million to eliminate the consequences of large-scale floods in Kazakhstan. These funds were used to provide essential aid to flood victims and housing for more than 500 families in the Aktobe and Akmola regions.
Urban development and social infrastructure projects
The Bulat Utemuratov Foundation plays an active role in supporting urban development.
In 2020, the Foundation completed reconstruction of the Almaty Botanical Garden, a popular public space in the city. Over USD$15 million was invested in the project.
In 2022, the Foundation initiated several social infrastructure projects across different regions of the country. The total value of these projects exceeded USD$100 million. All were transferred to the government at no cost upon completion.
In September 2023, a new school, funded by the Foundation, was opened in the city of Kosshy. It is the first school in the country to comply with the requirements of the new “Comfortable School” national standard. In September 2024, two more schools of the same type were opened in the Almaty region.
In November 2024, a new passenger terminal at Kyzylorda Airport, covering 7,500 square meters, was launched. It increased the airport’s capacity sevenfold, to 2 million passengers per year.
In March 2025, a new public and cultural center opened in Kosshy. With a capacity of over 1,000 people and a total area of 8,500 square meters, the center combines sports, educational, and leisure facilities. Furthermore, in 2026, the Foundation transferred the modern Shabyt Youth Development Center, with a total area of 2,600 square meters, to the city of Zhezkazgan.
Education
Since 2007, Mr Utemuratov has supported the development and modernization of his alma mater, Narxoz University. In 2022, Narxoz University inaugurated the new campus. The renovation of the university’s main academic building, covering a total area of 30,000 square meters, was completed in a record 11 months. The campus was constructed using modern, environmentally sustainable technologies, materials, and equipment. In addition, over 30,000 trees and other plant species were planted across the university grounds. In 2024, Narxoz University expanded its campus infrastructure with the opening of the Emen residence, providing accommodation for 424 students. In 2025, following a major renovation, Narxoz Business School reopened its doors, providing students in Kazakhstan with access to world-class business education.
Mr Utemuratov is one of the founders of the Haileybury International Schools in Kazakhstan. The schools offer a broad liberal education following the traditions of independent British schooling.
In October 2025, as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen educational infrastructure, improve the quality of education and train world-class professionals in the fields of artificial intelligence, engineering, and robotics, Haileybury Astana opened a state-of-the-art SciTech Hub, a next-generation educational center that integrates science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) in an interdisciplinary format. The project cost 3.4 billion tenge.
Both the university and the schools are non-profit institutions, with all proceeds reinvested in developing young talent, infrastructure, and educational quality.
Health and social care
The Foundation’s first major initiative was the establishment of autism centers in major cities across Kazakhstan, providing families of children with autism spectrum disorders with access to professional care and support. The Foundation allocated over USD$16 million to implement its flagship program, “Autism. One World for All”. Over the past ten years, more than 20,000 children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have benefited from the 13 Asyl Miras Autism Centers.
Arts
With the support of Bulat Utemuratov, the Forte Bank Kulanshi Art Space regularly hosts exhibitions by the Kulanshi Center for Contemporary Art. With the support of the Foundation, the exhibition “Kazakhstan: Treasures of the Great Steppe” was held in 2024 at the Musée Guimet in Paris.
The Foundation has also supported projects to preserve the literary legacy of Olzhas Suleimenov and the musical legacy of Batyrkhan Shukenov. With the support of the Foundation, works including “AZ and I”, “Ambassador of My Land” and “Book of Poems” were republished to mark the 90th anniversary of Olzhas Suleimenov. Shamshi 100 is another project recently launched by the Foundation, aiming to preserve the works of Shamshi Kaldayakov, a key figure in Kazakhstani music and the composer of the national anthem, and promote them among international audiences. The project covers the creation a digital archive of the works of the Kazakh composer, the translation of 20 of his compositions into English and Spanish and the publication of the “Eternal Songs of Love” international anthology.
