Erlan Ospanov, who has been Chief Executive Officer of the Verny Capital group of companies since 2012, has stepped down from his position. As of January 1, 2024, Aidan Akanov, formerly Deputy CEO & CFO, has been appointed as Verny Capital’s new CEO.
“I would like to thank Erlan Ospanov for his dedication over the years, making the group of companies leaders in their respective fields. Going forward we will build on these strong foundations with renewed focus, to maximize the contribution of Verny Capital and its portfolio companies to the socio-economic development of Kazakhstan,” noted the group’s investor Bulat Utemuratov.
Aidan Akanov has been at Verny Capital for more than 15 years. During this time he has been involved in the development of large investment projects, both in Kazakhstan and abroad. He was previously CFO since 2019, managing all financial aspects of the company’s investment projects. Before joining Verny Capital he worked at Arthur Andersen/Ernst & Young, and prior to that served as CFO of a Canadian company Canam Pipe & Supply LLP, Kazakhstan Division of Canam Services Inc. He graduated from Al-Farabi Kazakh National University with a degree in International Economic Relations and received an MBA from Hofstra University (USA).
These developments follow the management-buyout (MBO) of Karaganda Airport in August 2023 by Verny Capital’s top managers. As a result, Erlan Ospanov and Aidan Akanov became the airport’s owners. The MBO, which is a common type of business transaction, was the first in Verny Capital’s history.
