Executive Management

Ilyas Kuldzhanov

Chief Executive Officer

Mr. Kuldzhanov is responsible for the strategic leadership and performance of the Group, globally, as a sustainable company focused on energy solutions considering the current market challenges.

His expertise, built over a decade in oil and gas industry, was gathered on various management positions in the Kazakhstan National Welfare Fund - Samruk-Kazyna, KazMunayGas, Petroleum Operating, and Citigroup. During 2013 and 2014, he was the Advisor of the General Manager of KMG International, being familiar both with the activities and operations of the Group, but also with the particularities of the industry in Romania and in the region.

Ilyas Kuldzhanov graduated from the Omsk State University majoring in International Economics, Moscow State University for International Relations majoring in International Economic Relations, Kazakhstan-British Technical University - majoring in Petroleum Engineering and he is currently studying for a Ph.D. degree in the same field at the Nazarbayev University, Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan.

Yedil Utekov

Chief Production & Industrial Services Officer

Mr. Utekov will contribute to defining the strategy and ensuring the operational management for the Production & Industrial Services Block, in compliance with KMG International strategy, for reaching the business objectives and achieving the estimated operational and financial performance.

Before joining KMG International Group, Mr. Utekov was Director of Refining and Petrochemical Division at JSC NC KazMunayGas, coordinating, between 2023 and 2024, the operational activities of several production units, including refineries, a power generation and petrochemical plants.

In 2020 and 2022, Mr. Utekov served as the Chief Officer Production and Industrial Services at KMG International, ensuring continuous operation by using best practices within the production area.

Having over 20 years of professional experience, he gained expertise and leadership in managing production activities in the Oil and Gas Industry by working for major companies in Kazakhstan, part of KazMunayGas – the national oil and gas company of Kazakhstan.

Mr. Utekov holds a degree in Resources and Hydrocarbons Chemical Technology from Astrakhan State Technical University.

Abi Zivs

Chief Officer Trading & Supply Chain

Mr. Zivs will contribute to defining the strategy and ensuring the operational management for the Trading & Supply Chain Business Block, in compliance with KMG International strategy, to fulfill the business objectives and to achieve the established operational and financial performance.

With over 30 years of professional experience, Abi Zivs has held managerial positions such as General Manager, Executive Director, and LPG & Sulphur Sales Manager within companies from Latvia, Turkey, and Kazakhstan, including Nostrum Oil & Gas, CSA Elektrik Elektronic AS, and Fresh Ltd Aktau.

Mr. Zivs graduated from the Faculty of Physics and Mathematics at Latvian State University. He also completed advanced training in Port and Ship Management at Lloyd’s Maritime Academy in London and is currently pursuing an MBA in Marketing.

Adrian Tohănean

Chief Financial Officer

In this role, Mr. Tohănean will provide expertise and strategic leadership in managing the financial activities at the Group level, ensuring both the supervision of financial operations and their integrity.

With over 20 years of professional experience, Mr. Tohănean has demonstrated exceptional expertise in managing financial performance and optimizing strategic processes at the Group level.

Mr. Tohănean graduated from the Bucharest Academy of Economic Studies with a degree in business administration and, in parallel, from the French-Romanian Institute of Management (Branch of the University Institute Management Professional Clermont-Ferrand, France) with the title of engineer-master, specialization in business management.

Adrian Tohănean joined the KMG International Group in 2007, during which he held several managerial positions, including Planning and Performance Management Manager, Budget and Reporting Manager, Financial Director of the Trading Division, and Deputy Chief Financial Officer of the Group.