KANAT KOBESSOV
Chairman of the Supervisory Board of NUR ZHOL COMPANY, Chairman of the Board of the National Association of Exporters "KazGrain", Kazakhstan
Kanat Kobessov has all the necessary knowledge in the transport sector, has more than 24 years of experience in logistics.He is a certified expert at USAID (American Agency for Development), CILT (Royal Institute of Transport and Logistics), QID (Kazakh Association of Independent Directors), Member of the Board of Business Association of Entrepreneurs «KIT».According to the results of the open competition, he was elected to the Public Council of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan (Order 126 of the Ministry of Transport of the Republic of Kazakhstan of 13 December 2023), within which he works on the development and promotion of the transport industry of the country.
MIKHEIL JANELIDZE
Policy and Management Consulting Group – PMCG, GEORGIA
Mikheil Janelidze, a Trade Policy Sector Lead at PMCG, an Advisory Board member of Trade Intelligence and Negotiations Advisor (TINA), brings a distinguished career in international affairs and economic development, balancing public and private sector expertise. His role as Vice Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Georgia (2015-2018) marked significant achievements. Strengthening ties with the U.S., EU, and major Asian nations, he bolstered economic and security cooperation. Georgia, under his leadership, became a leader in the EU’s Eastern Partnership, enhanced trade and security relations, and engaged in agreements with China, Japan, and India. Mr. Janelidze played a key role in implementing UN Sustainable Development Goal #16 and chaired the Open Government Partnership. Previously, as Vice Minister of Economy (2011-2015), he negotiated the EU-Georgia Deep and Comprehensive Free Trade Agreement, elevating Georgia’s trade policies. He holds an MBA in Global Management and a bachelor’s in international relations.
RONY SAAB
Team Coordinator at European Bank for Reconstruction & Development “EBRD,” UK
A seasoned senior port and free industrial zones expert with over 20 years of experience related to transport, port, and industrial zones development, management, and investment in over ten countries, including Bahrain, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan. Turkey, Morocco, Netherlands, Oman, and Ukraine. Rony’s port expertise covers all aspects of master planning, design, management, operations, and consulting services.
GAIDAR ABDIKARIMOV
Secretary General at the International Association «Trans-Caspian International Transport Route», Kazakhstan
PhD Graduated KazATK named after. M. Tynyshpaeva in 2005, Degree with honors. Obtained Ph.D. from the Moscow State University of Railway Engineering (MIIT). Author of more than 15 scientific papers, co-author of a textbook for Specialists “Logistics Management of Freight Transportation and Terminal and Warehouse Activities”. Developed draft agreements (contracts) on the transportation of passengers, cargo, and baggage in international traffic, development of international transport links, and scientific and technical cooperation with railway transport authorities of foreign countries, and foreign legal entities. Managed the Representative Offices of JSC “NC “KTZ” in the European countries of the CIS, the countries of the Caucasus, and the Baltic countries.
ASSET ASSAVBAYEV
Secretary General Permanent Secretariat (PS) of the Intergovernmental Commission (IGC) TRACECA, Kazakhstan
Mr. Asset Assavbayev was born in 1982 in Kazakhstan. He graduated from the Kazakh University of Traffic Ways in 2006, and received the Master Degree in State and Municipal Administration from the Russian Academy of National Economy and Public Administration under the President of the Russian Federation in 2016. Mr. Asset Assavbayev has over 18 years of professional experience in the transport sector.
Since 2004, Mr. Assavbayev accumulated experience occupying various positions in the Transport Control Committee of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of the Republic of Kazakhstan including the post of the Vice-Chairman (2010-2013) and the Chairman (2013-2014) of the same Committee. He served as the Chairman of the Transport Committee of the Ministry of Investment and Development from 2014 to 2019 where he dealt with the implementation of transport policy, ensuring transport safety, development of road, railway and port infrastructure and etc. Prior to being elected as the TRACECA Secretary General, Mr. Assavbayev was the President of the Association of Road Builders of Kazakhstan and Independent Director of the Board of Directors of JSC «NС «KazAvtoZhol» (2019).
Since December 2019, Mr. Assavbayev has held the post of Secretary General of the PS IGC TRACECA.
