Kazatomprom announces appointment of CEO and management changes

JSC National Atomic Company "Kazatomprom" (“Kazatomprom” or “the Company”) announces that on 03 September 2021, the Company’s Board of Directors approved the appointment of Mr. Mazhit Sharipov as chief executive officer (CEO) and Chair of Kazatomprom’s Management Board. Mr. Sharipov, who has been with the Company since 2015 as Managing Director of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle, and as Chief Nuclear Fuel Cycle Officer (CNFCO) since 01 January 2021 (joining the Management Board shortly after), brings a great deal of expertise to his new position, having broad and extensive experience within the nuclear industry. He has served in numerous government and private sector roles over his 33-year career, including Director of the Department of Nuclear Energy and Nuclear Industry at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Director of the Department of Atomic Energy and Industry at the Atomic Energy Agency, and Chairman of the Atomic Energy Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

“On behalf of the Board, I am looking forward to working with Mr. Sharipov,” said Neil Longfellow, Chair of the Company’s Board of Directors. “As with other recent changes in the management team, this appointment is in line with the Company’s succession plan, which was developed following the IPO. Mr. Sharipov is well equipped to lead the Company and execute our 2018-2028 strategy, with a continued focus on generating value for stakeholders.”

“I am honoured to accept the appointment, and I would like to thank the Company’s Board and majority shareholder for expressing confidence in my ability to effectively lead and manage Kazatomprom as CEO,” said Mr. Sharipov. “I expect that the strength of our Board and management team, along with the dedication of our employees and our strong relationships with partners, customers, and other stakeholders, will continue to support Kazatomprom’s position as a global market leader. Alongside Kazatomprom’s executive team, I will continue reinforcing the cornerstones of our success, including strong governance, health, safety and environmental protection, social responsibility, and transparency, as we continue to execute our market-focused strategy in our core business of uranium mining.”

Interim Chief Nuclear Fuel Cycle Officer (CNFCO)

Dosbolat Sarymsakov, Director of the Nuclear Fuel Cycle Department at Kazatomprom and with the Company since 2011, has been appointed as interim CNFCO. Mr. Sarymsakov has over 20 years of industry experience, including his work at the National Nuclear Center of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Association "Center for Non-Proliferation Assistance", where he served as Executive Director. With his experience in the fuel cycle and technical expertise in nuclear technologies, he has been closely involved in Kazatomprom’s fuel-cycle projects, including the construction of the fuel assembly plant at the Ulba Metallurgical Facility.

Chief Operations Officer (COO)

Mr. Askar Kassabekov has decided to take early retirement and has resigned from his position as Kazatomprom’s COO, effective 03 September 2021. Although he was only in the role since May 2021, the Company wishes to thank him for his contributions in maintaining pandemic protocols and delivering on the production plan during the first half of 2021.

The Company, with the support of the Board of Directors, has initiated a recruitment process to assess the most appropriate candidates to replace Mr. Kassabekov. Aliya Akzholova, currently Director of the Mining Department at Kazatomprom, will act as interim COO while the process to identify and appoint a new COO is completed.

Managing Director of Legal Support and Risks

As was previously disclosed, Marat Yelemessov, Kazatomprom’s Managing Director of Legal Support and Risks and Member of the Management Board, has taken an educational leave. Mr. Kazbek Shaimerdinov, currently Head of the Legal Department, has been assigned the role of acting Managing Director of Legal Support and Risk while Mr. Yelemessov is away.

Kazatomprom’s senior management team currently consists of:

  • Mazhit Sharipov, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Management Board;
  • Kamila Syzdykova, Chief Financial Officer (management board member);
  • Askar Batyrbayev, Chief Commercial Officer (management board member);
  • Beksultan Bekmuratov, Chief Human Resources and Communications Officer (management board member);
  • Alibek Aldongarov, Chief Transformation Officer (management board member);
  • Dosbolat Sarymsakov, interim Chief Nuclear Fuel Cycle Officer;
  • Aliya Akzholova, interim Chief Operations Officer;
  • Yerlan Tuleugozhin, Chief Strategy and Development Officer;
  • Kazbek Shaimerdinov, acting Managing Director of Legal Support and Risks.

Full biographies will be made available on the Company’s website, www.kazatomprom.kz.

For further information, please contact:

Kazatomprom Investor Relations Inquiries

Cory Kos, Director of Investor Relations

Tel: +7 (8) 7172 45 81 80

Email: iratkazatomprom.kz

Kazatomprom Public Relations and Media Inquiries

Torgyn Mukayeva, Chief Expert of GR & PR Department

Tel: +7 (8) 7172 45 80 63

Email: pratkazatomprom.kz

About Kazatomprom

Kazatomprom is the world's largest producer of uranium, with the Company’s attributable production representing approximately 23% of global primary uranium production in 2020. The Group benefits from the largest reserve base in the industry and operates, through its subsidiaries, JVs and Associates, 26 deposits grouped into 14 mining assets. All of the Company’s mining operations are located in Kazakhstan and extract uranium using ISR technology with a focus on maintaining industry-leading health, safety and environment standards.

Kazatomprom securities are listed on the London Stock Exchange, Astana International Exchange, and Kazakhstan Stock Exchange. As the national atomic company in the Republic of Kazakhstan, the Group's primary customers are operators of nuclear generation capacity, and the principal export markets for the Group's products are China, South and Eastern Asia, Europe and North America. The Group sells uranium and uranium products under long-term contracts, short-term contracts, as well as in the spot market, directly from its headquarters in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, and through its Switzerland-based trading subsidiary, Trade House KazakAtom AG (THK).

For more information, please see the Company website at http://www.kazatomprom.kz

Forward-looking statements

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