Qanat Şarlapaev

Qanat Bisimbaiuly Şarlapaev (; 9 June 1981) is a Kazakh politician who served as Minister of Industry and Construction of Kazakhstan from 4 September 2023 to 28 February 2025. From 28 February to 25 September 2025, he was assistant to the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Economic Affairs.

Biography Early life and education Şarlapaev was born in the Saratov Oblast, Russian SFSR. He graduated from the Saratov Socio-Economic Institute with a specialty in accounting and audit. He later received a master's degree in finance and management from the Cranfield School of Management (United Kingdom).

Early career From 2006 to 2008, Şarlapaev worked in the Financial Department of the Regional Office, the Project Management Department, the Operations and Technology Department, and Sales Management at Citi Investment Bank in the United Kingdom and the Czech Republic.

From 2008 to 2014, he served as senior analyst, assistant vice president, and vice president in the Regional Equity Division of Citi Investment Bank in London.

Minister of Industry and Construction (2023–2025)

Şarlapaev served as Minister of Industry and Construction from 4 September 2023 to 28 February 2025, having been reappointed to the post on 6 February 2024.

During his tenure, he oversaw industrial policy, transport and logistics regulation, and the government's position on the recycling fee for imported vehicles. In 2024, the ministry reviewed a public petition which gathered over 50,000 signatures calling for the abolition of the fee, after which Şarlapaev publicly defended retaining the utilisbor, arguing it was necessary for regulatory and industrial policy purposes. The decision generated public debate, and the ministry formally confirmed that the recycling fee would remain in place.

Şarlapaev's period in office saw the ministry continue work on planned industrial and construction programmes, including investment projects in metallurgy, chemicals, building materials, and housing development, as well as ongoing modernisation of sectoral standards and regulatory frameworks.

Other activities On 25 January 2025, he was elected President of the Rugby Federation of Kazakhstan.

From 28 February to 25 September 2025, he served as assistant to the president of the Republic of Kazakhstan for Economic Affairs.

Personal life Şarlapaev is married, has three children, and speaks Kazakh, Russian, and English.

Before entering government, Şarlapaev had held Russian and British citizenship, later becoming a citizen of Kazakhstan. Upon becoming minister in 2023, Şarlapaev revealed that he was actively studying the Kazakh language, taking lessons five times a week.