:: Astana airport

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Astana International Airport has appointed a new leader following the termination of its management agreement with a UAE-based investor.

Beken Seidakhmetov has been named Chairman of the Board of JSC Nursultan Nazarbayev International Airport, the Kazakh capital’s airport operator announced ahead of the New Year holidays. He succeeds Yusuf Al Jawder, who was appointed in April 2024 as a representative of the Emirati firm Terminals Holding.

Prior to this appointment, Seidakhmetov served as Rector of the Central Asian country’s Civil Aviation Academy. His career also includes heading Kazakhstan’s Civil Aviation Committee from 2011 to 2017 and holding executive positions at Astana Airport, including Deputy General Director for Economics and Finance and First Vice President.

The leadership transition follows the exit of Terminals Holding, which had managed the airport since 2023. The company’s involvement was expected to deepen significantly under a 25-year investment agreement signed with Kazakhstan’s Ministry of Transport in May 2025. Under that deal, the Emirati firm had planned to invest $1.1 billion to develop the air hub, funding projects such as a second runway, a third passenger terminal, a new cargo complex, and other related infrastructure.

However, on December 22, Astana Mayor Jenis Kassymbek confirmed that the contract with Terminals Holding was being terminated at “the investor’s own initiative”. The mayor noted that city authorities had previously raised concerns about the pace of the company’s planned investments.

The management change comes at a time of growth for the airport. By the end of 2025, Astana Airport’s passenger traffic exceeded 9.2 million, marking an 11% increase compared to the previous year.