The Board of Directors is the governing body of Air Astana JSC responsible for developing the Company’s strategy, general management of its activities and control over the activity of the Executive Body. The Board of Directors performs its functions in accordance with the Charter, the Corporate Governance Code and other internal documents of the Company.

The Board of Directors of "Air Astana" JSC consists of nine members who are elected by the General Stockholders’ Meeting by cumulative vote. The Board of Directors consists of two members of the Board of Directors who are nominated by «National Welfare Fund «Samruk-Kazyna» JSC, two members of the Board of Directors who are nominated by BAE SYSTEMS (Kazakhstan) Limited, the President, and four independent directors.

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Nurlan Zhakupov

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Non-Executive Director

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Aidar Ryskulov

Member of the Board of Directors

Non-Executive Director

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Myles Westcott

Member of the Board of Directors

Non-Executive Director

Nurlan Zhakupov

Appointed February 2024

 

Qualifications and experience:

Mr. Zhakupov was born in 1978 and is a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He began his career at Eurasian Industrial Association as a financial analyst. From 2009 he held a variety of management and senior management positions, including serving as a managing director at National Mining Company Tau-Ken Samruk from 2009 to 2011 and as a managing director for Development and Investment at NAC Kazatomprom JSC from 2016 to 2017. In 2020, Mr. Zhakupov was appointed as chief executive officer of Kazakhstan Investment Development Fund (KIDF) Management Company Ltd, prior to his appointment as a chief executive officer of
SK. Mr. Zhakupov graduated from MGIMO University of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation in 2001: Candidate of economic sciences; Master of Economics (International Economic Relations Department); Bachelor of Economics (International Economic Relations Department)

Other appointments:

Chief Executive Officer for JSC SWF Samruk-Kazyna

Committee membership:

Nomination and Remuneration Committee – Member

Aidar Ryskulov

Appointed February 2024

 

Qualifications and experience:

Mr. Ryskulov was born in 1981 and is a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He began his career at Kazakhstan Temir Zholy National Company Joint Stock Company as an engineer economist and has
subsequently held a number of banking and finance positions. He is also the managing director of the Department of Economics and Finance at SK, the chair of the board of directors of Qazaq Air Joint Stock Company, the chair of the board of directors of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy National Company Joint Stock Company and a member of the board of directors of NAC Kazatomprom Joint Stock Company. Mr. Ryskulov obtained a bachelor’s degree in finance and credit from the Karaganda State University, Kazakhstan and an MBA from Nazarbayev University, Kazakhstan. Mr. Ryskulov was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Company in 2023

Other appointments:

Managing Director for Economics and Finance of Samruk-Kazyna JSC

Chair of the Board of Directors of Qazaq Air Joint Stock Company

 

Committee membership:

Strategic Planning Committee – Member

Treasury Committee – Member

ESG Committee – Member

 

Myles Westcott

Appointed February 2024

 

Qualifications and experience:

Mr. Westcott was born in 1971 and is a citizen of the United Kingdom. He began his career in 1992 in accounting, subsequently holding various accounting and management roles including within retail and consultancy. In 2001, Mr. Westcott joined BAE Systems plc and has since held a number of finance leadership positions, most recently as Group Financial Controller. Mr. Westcott is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England & Wales, and a graduate of Bristol University, United Kingdom. Mr. Westcott was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Company in 2018

Other appointments:

Group Financial Controller for BAE Systems plc
Director of Cotham Flats Management Company Ltd

Committee membership:

Nomination and Remuneration Committee – Member
Strategic Planning Committee – Member

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Simon Wood

Member of the Board of Directors

Non-Executive Director

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Peter Foster

Member of the Board of Directors

Chief Executive Officer

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Yeldar Abdrazakov

Member of the Board of Directors

Independent Non-Executive Director

Simon Wood

Appointed February 2024

 

Qualifications and experience:

Mr. Wood was born in 1975 and is a citizen of the United Kingdom. Mr. Wood began his career in 1996 in the defence and aerospace sector. He joined BAE Systems plc in 1996 and has held a number of finance positions, most recently as Finance Director Maritime & Land. Mr. Wood is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, a member of the UK Institute of Directors, and a graduate of Kingston Business School, Kingston University. Mr. Wood was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Company in 2019

Other appointments:

Finance Director Maritime & Land for BAE Systems plc
Director of BSL WLL
Director of BAE Systems Land Systems (Finance) Limited
Director of Holdwood Limited

Committee membership:

ESG Committee – Member
Treasury Committee – Member

Peter Foster

Appointed February 2024

 

Qualifications and experience:

Mr. Foster was born in 1960 and is a citizen of the United Kingdom. He began his career at John Swire and Sons (HK) Ltd, the owners of Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. From 1982 to 1999 he served in a variety of management and senior management positions within Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong, Asia, Australia and Europe. In 1999, he joined Philippine Airlines Inc. as chief company advisor. He subsequently served as chief executive officer of Royal Brunei Airlines from 2002 to 2005 prior to his appointment as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company in 2005. In the 2015 United Kingdom New Year’s Honours List, Mr. Foster was awarded Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services to British aviation in Kazakhstan. Mr. Foster is a graduate of Cambridge University, United Kingdom and has a business
management training certificate from INSEAD.

Other appointments:

None

Committee membership:

None

Yeldar Abdrazakov

Appointed February 2024

 

Qualifications and experience:

Mr. Abdrazakov was born in 1972 and is a citizen of the Republic of Kazakhstan. He was Managing Director at Kazkommertsbank from 1995 to 2003, chief executive officer at Kazkommerts Securities from 2002 to 2004, and founder and chief executive officer from 2004 at Centras Group. Mr. Abdrazakov holds a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degree in economics from the Akhmet Yassawi International Kazakh-Turkish University, Almaty and has also completed the General Management Programme at Harvard Business School, United States. Mr. Abdrazakov is a Chartered Director of the United Kingdom’s Institute of Directors. Mr. Abdrazakov was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Company in 2020

Other appointments:

Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Centras Group
Chair of the Board of Directors of ForteBank
Member of the Board of Directors of the KASE

Committee membership:

Nomination and Remuneration Committee – Member
Audit Committee – Member
ESG Committee – Chairman

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Janet Heckman

Member of the Board of Directors

Independent Non-Executive Director

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Keith Gaebel

Member of the Board of Directors

Independent Non-Executive Director

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Garry Kingshott

Director Member of the Board of Directors

Independent Non-Executive Director

Janet Heckman

Appointed February 2024

 

Qualifications and experience:

Ms. Heckman was born in 1954 and is a citizen of the United States of America. Between 1980 and 2012 she held various positions at Citi Group with a focus on corporate banking; she was the Managing Director for Citi’s corporate and investment banking activities in Algeria from 2008 to 2012. Ms. Heckman joined the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development in 2012 as a country director for Kazakhstan and managing director for the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region from 2017 to 2019. Mrs. Heckman holds
a Master of Science degree in foreign service from Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., United States and a Bachelor of Arts from Kenyon College, Ohio. Ms. Heckman was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Company in 2019

Other appointments:

Member of the Board of Directors of the AIX
Member of the Board of Directors for Citibank, Kazakhstan
Member of the Board of Directors for TBC Bank, Georgia

Committee membership:

Audit Committee – Member
Nomination and Remuneration Committee – Chair
Strategic Planning Committee – Member

Keith Gaebel

Appointed February 2024

 

Qualifications and experience:

Mr. Gaebel was born in 1962 and is a citizen of Canada. Mr. Gaebel has held various positions within accounting firms including head of the CIS financial reporting group at PricewaterhouseCoopers (2000 to 2004) and Ernst & Young (2004 to 2008) and managing partner for Central Asia and Caucasus at Ernst & Young (2008 to 2013). Mr. Gaebel holds a degree from Lakehead University. Mr. Gaebel was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Company in 2020

Other appointments:

Member of the Board of Directors of the National Payment Corporation of the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan

Committee membership:

Treasury – Member
Audit Committee – Chair

Garry Kingshott

Appointed February 2024

 

Qualifications and experience:

Mr. Kingshott was born in 1952 and is a citizen of Australia. He began his career in 1973 at Johnson & Johnson and held various positions within the retail sector until 1990. In 1990, Mr. Kingshott joined Ansett Airlines (Australia) after which he continued in the aviation, travel and tourism sector, most recently serving as chief executive at Cebu Air Inc. from 2008 to 2016. Mr. Kingshott is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Mr. Kingshott was first elected to the Board of Directors of the Company in 2019

Other appointments:

Member of the Advisory Board at Cebu Air Inc

Committee membership:

Strategic Planning Committee – Chair
Nomination and Remuneration Committee – Member