LONDON: JSC National Atomic Company “Kazatomprom“, the world’s largest uranium producer, announces that Mr. Mazhit Sharipov will be departing from his roles as the Company’s Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) and Chair of the Management Board, and will resign from Kazatomprom’s Board of Directors, for personal reasons effective 04 July 2022.

Kazatomprom’s Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Yerzhan Mukanov, will be appointed as acting CEO while the Company’s Board of Directors completes a recruitment process to assess appropriate candidates for the CEO position.

“Mr. Sharipov, with his extensive experience in the nuclear industry, has shown strong leadership and persistent commitment to Kazatomprom’s value-focused strategy over his seven years with the Company,” said Neil Longfellow, Chair of Kazatomprom’s Board of Directors. “During this past year as Kazatomprom’s CEO, Mr. Sharipov’s nuclear fuel cycle expertise has been instrumental in the successful commissioning and launch of commercial production at the Ulba Fuel Assembly plant, Kazatomprom’s new facility to supply fuel assemblies to China. Under his leadership, ANU Energy, the region’s first physical uranium fund, was also launched at the Astana International Financial Center.

“Along with prioritizing employee safety and social stability across all of the Company’s operations, which was particularly vital during the tragic unrest in January this year, Mr. Sharipov effectively led the Company through its post-pandemic recovery and the ongoing geopolitical risks and uncertainties. The Board, along with the members of the Company’s management team, would like to sincerely thank him for his integrity and contributions to the Company’s development, and we wish him the absolute best in his next endeavors.

“Kazatomprom’s Independent Non-Executive Directors (INEDs) respect the personal decision of Mr. Sharipov and, together with majority shareholder Samruk-Kazyna, we will work to ensure the best candidate is selected for the role.” 

“It has been a great privilege for me to lead a Company that is so highly regarded in such a strategically important area as the nuclear industry,” said Mr. Sharipov. “I am certain that nuclear has a great future, and that Kazatomprom will continue to thrive and generate value for the country and all stakeholders. On the eve of the 25th anniversary of Kazatomprom, I would like to express my gratitude to the thousands of employees within the organization for their hard work and dedication. I would also like to thank the management team with whom it has been an honour to work, along with the Board of Directors for their continual support.”