Kassym-Jomart Tokayev

Kazakhstan
ERG's succession war, part 1: a new Black PR campaign onslaught

Speculation over the future of mining giant Eurasian Resources Group has run rife since one of its founders died in March, sparking a flourish of information campaigns focussed on the firm's current CEO.

Israel, Kazakhstan, United States
‘Lawfare': Euro-Asian Jewish Congress close to Astana's legal proceedings in the US

The Kazakh government is using a pressure group close to one of its own oligarchs to continue waging its more than a decade-long legal battles in the US.

Kazakhstan, United Kingdom, United States
Behind the scenes of Kazakh asset managers feud playing out in US and UK courts

Fraud, stolen confidential data, libel... Accusations have been flying back and forth between the former and current directors of a set of companies with assets in Kazakhstan. Things are particularly heated between Yerbol Orynbayev, who served as deputy prime minister under former president Nursultan Nazarbayev, and Ron Wahid, owner of several consultancies that worked for Astana for years.

Central Asia, United States
Caspian Policy Center quietly backs Central Asian governments, in particular Azerbaijan

A self-described independent think tank, the CPC serves as an unofficial lobbying organisation for the region's rulers. The group's staff and board members include former senior US officials involved in national security and foreign policy.

Central Asia, Germany
Consultant Konstantin Panovko thriving in Berlin despite loss of Russian oligarch clients

The Berlin-based communications and government relations consultant close to Russian magnate Alisher Usmanov is distancing himself from businessmen hit by sanctions and bolstering his advisory role with Central Asian governments.

The Corporate Intelligence Village Voice
Chorus prospects in US; Moussalli joins CRG; ESL boss moves to Publicis; Eberly resurfaces at Arcanum; Ex-CIA officer Peristere launches firm

Appointments, financial results, new contracts: every Wednesday, we report on events big and small that matter in the global corporate intelligence community.

LondonEx-DoJ investigator helps Chorus make play for US market

FrankfurtMoussalli joins Control Risks

ParisPublicis recruits ESL & Network's Middle East boss

New YorkAfter Jusan, Charles Eberly resurfaces at Arcanum

WashingtonRichard Peristere joins private sector

Kazakhstan, United States
Black Ice AI pitches its services to Kazakhstan asset hunters

The Texas-based firm, which conducts "know your customer" (KYC) investigations, has attracted the attention of the Kazakh government for its foreign-held ill-gotten assets probes.

Spotlight | Kazakhstan, United Kingdom, United States
Score-settling thrives in international court battles with Astana over asset hunts

The lawsuit filed against Astana by Jysan Holding, which was managed until recently by members of the previous administration, underlines the country's 'endemic corruption'. This surprising line of defence is also used by businessmen who have been at loggerheads with that government for years.

Kazakhstan
Rustam Jursunov, defending entrepreneurs from proposed asset hunt legislation

As well as working to protect the interests of entrepreneurs, Rustam Jursunov is serving as a go-between for proposed legislation on ill-gotten assets and local business leaders, starting with energy magnate Timur Kulibayev.

Kazakhstan, United States
Washington lobbyists plead Kazakh protesters' cause in US

Trials in connection with last year's protests are in full swing in Kazakhstan. Supporters of some key figures, including Arman Dzhumageldiyev, known to be close to the country's intelligence service, the KNB, have hired Washington lobbyists to drum up support for their cause.

Spotlight | Kazakhstan, United Kingdom, United States
Ron Wahid falls back on Kazakh networks as UK tax office starts hunt

The founder of RJI Capital and Arcanum Global Intelligence has been gradually withdrawing from the London affairs of his advisory and intelligence firms, but not so of his companies with assets in Kazakhstan. Those entities have been calling on their lobbyist networks in Washington.

Kazakhstan
New French, German and US trio advise Kazakh national holding company

The national holding company Baiterek is weighing in to help Kazakhstan's negotiations to increase commodities exports to Western countries, assisted by a trio of well-connected new consultants from Germany, France and the United States.

Kazakhstan, United Kingdom
Kazakh government and opposition reorganise their London support to asset recovery efforts

Parallel to the legal proceedings in the United States, political opposition organisations and government representation from Kazakhstan are using London as a base to lead investigations into assets linked to the former ruling regime.

Kazakhstan, United States
Nazarbayev's US contacts challenge Kazakh government's asset recovery drive

The companies managed by allies and advisers of former president Nursultan Nazarbayev are counter-attacking, as the Kazakh government pursues its efforts to recover their companies' assets.

Kazakhstan, UAE
Nurzhan Marabayev, the new link in UAE-Kazakh oil shipping partnership

Abu Dhabi Ports has turned to the Marabayev clan, Kazakhstan's long-serving port operator, to build its presence in the Caspian Sea.