On September 27, Kazakhmys PLC, a UK-incorporated company (and a predominant owner of the biggest Kazakh copper producer Kazakhmys Corporation), has distributed a press release on redistribution of shares between main stakeholders. It reads that Vladimir Kim, ex-functionary of one of the lower district committees of Soviet Communist Party (currently, a member of political council of the president’s Otan party), has increased his share in company from 39,9 to 46,52%, and today “costs” almost $6 billion. Along with this, three more Kazakh citizens became owners of quite big share holdings. Among them is Vladimir Ni, now having 2,5% in Kazakhmys.

Mr. Ni’s persona and circumstances of his sudden fortune are very interesting. Since Perestroika and until August of 1998, he was an ordinary and quiet state employee, who was known only for being a close confidant of Mr. Nazarbayev (who served as Head of Soviet Cabinet in 1980s, and starting from 1990 - as the president of Kazakhstan). Later, Ni worked in “Khozu”, a state-owned closed corporation, and spent only the last five years of his life in private sector. Thus, after a 73-year-old man received a $300 million fortune, his story can be considered as the world’s most enchanting business career of an elderly person. Perhaps, he will teach an MBA course in KIMEP?