Alatau City Authority presented the city’s investment potential and promising areas of cooperation with British companies at the Kazakh–British Business Forum held in Astana as part of the 12th session of the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technical and Cultural Cooperation.
The forum brought together representatives of government bodies, financial institutions and business communities of the two countries, including some 40 British companies.
The opening was attended by the Minister of State for Trade of the United Kingdom Lord Anas Sarwar, Chairman of the Management Board of Samruk-Kazyna JSC Nurlan Zhakupov, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to the United Kingdom Alibek Bakayev, and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom to Kazakhstan Sally Axworthy.
Participants noted the importance of further strengthening bilateral relations, expanding trade and investment cooperation and implementing joint projects.
“Today we will discuss how to bring the Alatau City concept to life, combining the experience of Harry Dobbs Design, Arup and Worley Consulting with the efforts of our Kazakh partners who are leading the implementation of this large-scale project,” said British Ambassador to Kazakhstan Sally Axworthy, opening the thematic discussion on the city’s development.
The business programme featured presentations by representatives of Samruk-Kazyna JSC and the Astana International Financial Centre, as well as two thematic discussions devoted to the development of Alatau City and the financing of future economic growth. The discussions involved representatives of Harry Dobbs Design, Arup, Worley Consulting, London Stock Exchange Group, TheCityUK, UK Export Finance, Samruk-Kazyna and the Baiterek holding.
At a separate session, Alatau City Authority Chief Executive Officer Alisher Abdykadyrov presented the city’s development concept, the features of its special legal regime and investment opportunities for British partners. He emphasised the strategic importance of Alatau for diversifying Kazakhstan’s economy, developing international cooperation and creating a new centre of innovation in Central Asia.
“British companies have strong expertise in urban planning, engineering, financial services and infrastructure project management. This is particularly relevant for Alatau City, as the city is at the stage of shaping its basic infrastructure and economic model. We are interested in cooperation that brings in not only capital, but also advanced technologies and international standards of design and management,” Alisher Abdykadyrov said.
The development of Alatau City is based on the special legal regime established by the Constitutional Law of 8 May 2026. It provides for a separate regulatory framework covering entrepreneurial activity, land use, taxation and infrastructure, designed to create predictable conditions for long-term investment.
British expertise is already engaged in the institutional and strategic development of the city. Simon F. T. Cox heads the Regulatory Commission and Harry Dobbs is a member of the Alatau City Development Council. Arup is developing the long-term development plan and the master plan of Alatau City. The strategic documents are scheduled for completion in December 2026.
The investment portfolio of Alatau City currently comprises 67 projects with a potential investment volume of around USD 6.9 billion, providing for the creation of more than 55,000 jobs. Priority areas include industry, logistics, energy, business and social infrastructure, education, research and digital technologies.
For British companies, Alatau opens up opportunities to take part in the design and development of transport, logistics and engineering infrastructure and in the deployment of intelligent city management systems, artificial intelligence technologies and digital twins. Of particular interest is the involvement of British financial institutions in structuring and financing infrastructure projects, including through public-private partnership mechanisms and emerging digital financial instruments.
The participation of Alatau City Authority in the business forum is part of its consistent work to expand international investment cooperation. An Alatau City investment roadshow in the United Kingdom is planned for November 2026, during which substantive talks with British investors, financial institutions and technology companies are expected to continue.
For reference: the Kazakh–British Intergovernmental Commission has been operating since 2013 and serves as a platform for developing bilateral trade, economic, investment and sectoral cooperation.