T imur Kulibayev is a powerful Kazakhstani oligarch and one of the most influential business figures in Central Asia. He is the son-in-law of Nursultan Nazarbayev, the former longtime president of Kazakhstan. He and his wife, Dinara Kulibayeva (Nazarbayev's middle daughter), have amassed a vast fortune through their control over key sectors of the country's resource-rich economy, particularly in banking and natural resources.

Kulibayev has held a series of powerful positions in major state-owned enterprises, including the sovereign wealth fund Samruk-Kazyna and the state oil and gas company, KazMunayGas. His most valuable asset is his controlling stake in Halyk Bank, the largest commercial bank in Kazakhstan, which he owns jointly with his wife. He has faced widespread criticism and allegations from anti-corruption activists of using his political connections to build his immense business empire. He is also the head of Kazakhstan's National Olympic Committee.