Born in 1957, Bulat Zhamituly Utemuratov is a Kazakhstani billionaire businessman and influential political figure whose wealth is rooted in banking, metals, and strategic investments. His background is highly academic and political: his father was a prosecutor and his mother an accountant. Utemuratov graduated from the Faculty of Economics of the Almaty Institute of National Economy in 1981, providing him with the financial rigor needed to navigate the post-Soviet transition.

His career began in academia, serving as a lecturer, but a pivotal moment came in 1991 when he was selected by President Nursultan Nazarbayev to find economic opportunities for Kazakhstan after independence. This role as a trusted government operative led him to a career blending high-level diplomacy and aggressive business founding, leveraging his political connections for strategic investment.

Bulat Utemuratov's entrepreneurial journey is defined by two massive, successful financial exits. In 1995, he co-founded Almatinsky Trade and Finance Bank (ATF Bank), one of the first private banks in newly independent Kazakhstan. ATF Bank quickly became a major player, and Utemuratov's first colossal success came in 2007 when he sold ATF Bank to the Italian UniCredit group for $2.3 billion.

His second major exit came from the metals sector: his investment group, Verny Capital (which he is the key financier of), managed his shares in Kazzinc (Glencore's copper subsidiary), which were later sold to Glencore for $1.359 billion. This immense liquidity allowed him to found ForteBank (2013) and the first microcredit bank, Kassa Nova (2009). His career has also included high political positions, such as Ambassador to Switzerland and Secretary of the Security Council of Kazakhstan, cementing his role as a powerful investor and statesman.

Bulat Utemuratov is a leading philanthropist in Kazakhstan, channeling his efforts through the Bulat Utemuratov Charity Foundation (founded 2014). His giving is structural and focused on healthcare, education, and cultural development within Kazakhstan.

His most visible social commitment is to tennis: he is the President of the Kazakhstan Tennis Federation and a Vice-President of the International Tennis Federation (ITF). He has invested heavily in developing tennis infrastructure and talent across Kazakhstan. His wealth is leveraged for both national economic development (through Verny Capital) and for high-profile support of national sports and culture.

Bulat Utemuratov projects the highly polished, sophisticated style of a diplomat-investor. His attire is consistently bespoke, favoring tailored European suits and an aesthetic that reflects his multi-national career and access to global political and financial centers. His style is one of powerful, quiet influence.

His luxury is the autonomy and security of his multi-billion dollar fortune, which affords him a private jet (though he once sold his Gulfstream to Glencore). His life is dedicated to strategic investment and his passion for tennis, serving on international sports federations and funding national development. His wealth is a testament to his successful navigation of the post-Soviet economic and political landscape.