BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 3. Kazakhstan's President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has relieved Nurlan Sauranbayev of his post as Minister of Transport, according to a presidential decree.
Prior to his ministerial tenure, Sauranbayev held extensive leadership roles across Kazakhstan's public and corporate sectors, notably leading national railway operator Kazakhstan Temir Zholy and serving in key defense and energy positions.
Sauranbayev was born on May 20, 1967. He began his career as General Director of Enbek (1991-1997), before serving as Executive Director of the Congress of Entrepreneurs of Kazakhstan (1997-1998).
From 1998 to 2000, he headed the Passenger Transportation Directorate of the Kazakhstan Temir Zholy state enterprise. He then served as First Vice President of ANPZ OJSC (2000-2002) and Director of the Engineering and Service Services Department at KazMunayGas National Company JSC (2002-2004).
In 2004-2007, Sauranbayev was General Director of TenizService LLP. From July 2007 to June 2010, he held the positions of Managing Director for Oil Transportation and Managing Director for Service Projects at KazMunayGas.
On May 18, 2011, he was appointed Vice Minister of Industry and New Technologies of Kazakhstan, serving until August 25, 2014. From August 2014 to October 2016, he served as Deputy Minister of Defense.
In 2017, Sauranbayev headed the organizing committee of the headquarters responsible for preparations for and the holding of the EXPO 2017 International Specialized Exhibition. In November 2017, he was appointed mayor of Shymkent, serving until June 2018.
From January 2019 to April 2021, he headed the Department of State Control and Organizational and Territorial Work at the Presidential Administration of Kazakhstan.
On April 9, 2021, Sauranbayev became Chairman of the Management Board of Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (KTZ), a position he held until June 30, 2025.
On June 30, 2025, he was appointed Minister of Transport of Kazakhstan and was reappointed to the post on September 3, 2026.
