September 7, 2017, Astana. Within the framework of the program of the 9th meeting of the International Forum of Sovereign Wealth Funds (IFSWF) to take place this year in Astana, Samruk-Kazyna JSC (hereinafter - the Fund) and the IFSWF Secretariat held a press conference on the current development trends and the role of sovereign funds - IFSWF members. In particular, the issues of asset allocation and risk management as well as   formation of effective investment approaches and decisions taking into account the specifics of the activities of the funds were discussed.

The IFSWF Board Chairman Adrian Orr noted that Kazakhstan was creating a new model of economic growth based on diversification, digital and technological modernization of the economy. He also thanked the organizers of the Astana Forum represented by Samruk-Kazyna Fund for the opportunity of open dialogues on topical issues, noting the Fund’s role in the transformation of the national economy.

“Samruk-Kazyna is doing exceptional and very difficult job. They invest in long-term projects, they transform the industries to ensure their higher productivity and transformation within all existing global challenges”, - Adrian Orr said.

Nurlan Rakhmetov, Managing Director for Government Relations of Samruk-Kazyna JSC in response to the journalist’s question shared his vision of the most urgent problem related to the introduction of technologies and transfer of know-how in Kazakhstan as part of the Transformation program.

“The problem of transformation any organization faces is first of all the transformation of ideas, consciousness and thinking. Because the most critical in this three - people, processes, technologies - are people. First of all, human resources must be transformed. If thinking and approaches of employees are transformed, then technologies and processes will be built up for this”, - Nurlan Rakhmetov noted.

According to the Executive Director of Abu Dhabi Investment Authority Majed Al Romaithi, the IFSWF Forum in Astana was primarily the effective platform for the presentation of investment opportunities in Kazakhstan, as well as the prospects that open up participation to the emerging markets in the China initiative “One Belt, One Road”.   

“The project “One Belt, One Road” is very beneficial for all its participants. The capital market is actively developing today, and Saudi companies are looking for investment targets. We are now conducting a lot of research, investing in such countries as Kazakhstan. We are investing in various projects, pipelines, airports. The opportunities are growing now, and we need to consider one of them in order to invest in this project purposefully”, - said Majed Al Romaithi, Executive Director, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority.
 
Also during the press conference, the speakers outlined further promising areas of cooperation of the funds within the framework of IFSWF activities, such as the implementation of joint projects on exchanging experience and conducting research on investment markets.