Management
Our management team has extensive experience in delivering large and complex projects in Kazakhstan, supported by decades of collective technical, operational and sector knowledge.
Arfan Khan
Chief Executive Officer
- 35 years of total industry experience.
- From January 2020 until joining the Company, President of Stratum Energy Group (Romania).
- From April 2014 to December 2019, COO of Amni International Petroleum (Nigeria).
- From April 2012 to March 2014, Petroleum Engineering Director at Maersk Oil (Angola).
- From August 2002 to March 2012, Chief Production Engineer at Shell (Nigeria & Kazakhstan).
- Pre-2002: 12 years with ExxonMobil Gulf-of-Mexico Reservoir Development (US).
- Member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers.
- Holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University and an MBA from Tulane University.
Arfan Khan
Chief Executive Officer
View profilePetro Mychalkiw
Chief Financial Officer
Mr Mychalkiw is a chartered accountant with over 17 years of experience leading finance teams within the natural resources industry, including both oil and gas businesses and mining/metals companies. Mr Mychalkiw has extensive public company experience and first-hand experience of E&P operations in Kazakhstan.
Mr Mychalkiw’s previous roles in emerging markets include serving as Group CFO at I-Pulse Inc, High Power Petroleum LLC, Equus Petroleum Plc and Orsu Metals Corporation and serving as Regional Finance Director and Group Head of Corporate Finance at Oriel Resources Plc.
Petro Mychalkiw
Chief Financial Officer
View profileUlugbek Makhmadiyarov
Head of Finance
- Leading the finance function since 1 October 2022.
- Chartered accountant with over 17 years of experience in business and professional services.
- Held various roles within Nostrum Finance team from 2014, including leading accounting & reporting, internal audit and risk management. Prior to joining Nostrum developed his career at Ernst & Young in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, managing audits of large international companies including listed entities.
- Holds Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees from the University of World Economy and Diplomacy.
- Fellow member of ACCA.
(since 2014) and Certified Internal Auditor (since 2015).
Ulugbek Makhmadiyarov
Head of Finance
View profileRobert Tinkhof
Chief Operating Officer
- Appointed as Chief Operating Officer of the Group on 12 February 2019.
- 35 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, mainly Royal Dutch Shell with assignments in the Netherlands, UK, Syria, Iran, Egypt, Dubai, Iraq and Russia.
- Before taking the position as Chief Operating Officer, held several senior management positions since 2000 as General Manager Wells in Shell and Managing Director at the Scientific Research Institute of KMG for Production and Technology in Kazakhstan.
Robert Tinkhof
Chief Operating Officer
View profileThomas Hartnett
Chief Legal Officer, Company Secretary and Acting Head of Human Resources
Thomas Hartnett was appointed as General Counsel of Nostrum Oil & Gas on 5 September 2008, as Company Secretary on 3 October 2013 and as Acting Head of Human Resources on 13 January 2020. Mr. Hartnett was previously a partner in the international law firm White & Case LLP, where he focused on cross border corporate and mergers and acquisitions transactions. He worked in the firm’s New York, Istanbul, London, Brussels and Bangkok offices over a 16-year period. Mr. Hartnett also served as Senior Corporate Counsel for Intercontinental Hotels Group from 1996 to 1998. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and New York University School of Law and is a member of the New York Bar.
Thomas Hartnett
Chief Legal Officer, Company Secretary and Acting Head of Human Resources
View profileAbi Zivs
Director of Marketing
- Appointed as Head of Marketing on 4 February 2022.
- 2017-2022 held position of LPG and sulphur sales manager with Zhaikmunai LLP.
- More than 28 years’ experience in shipping and selling hydrocarbons in Latvia, Kazakhstan and Turkey.
- Graduate of Latvian State University, Faculty of Physics and Mathematics.
Abi Zivs
Director of Marketing
View profileAskhat Seitkazin
Deputy General Director of Zhaikmunai LLP
- Appointed as Deputy General Director of Zhaikmunai LLP in March 2022.
- 2013-2015 held position of PR manager at Zhaikmunai LLP.
- 2015-2022 Head of PR department Zhaikmunai LLP.
- Graduate of the Institute of International Law & Economics (Moscow) with a specialisation in Financial and Enterprise Management
Askhat Seitkazin
Deputy General Director of Zhaikmunai LLP
View profileZhomart Darkeyev
General Director of Zhaikmunai LLP
- Appointed as General Director of Zhaikmunai LLP on 14 November 2016.
- At Zhaikmunai LLP, Mr Darkeyev has also held the positions of Administrative Director, Assistant General Director, Chief Administrative Manager, Engineer Manager and Deputy General Manager.
- Before Zhaikmunai LLP, Mr Darkeyev worked for Derkl Oil & Gas drilling as assistant driller and for Kazakhgas State Holding Company as a leading reservoir engineer.
- Graduate of Furmanov Secondary School with further education completed at the Ivano-Frankivsk Institute of Oil & Gas with a specialisation in drilling of oil and gas wells.
Zhomart Darkeyev
General Director of Zhaikmunai LLP
View profileGulnara Shadeyeva
Head of HR in the RoK
- Appointed as Head of HR of Zhaikmunai LLP in October 2013.
- 22 years of experience in the oil and gas industry in several senior positions in Human Resources in KIOS, Baker Hughes Services Inc., AMEC, Exterran, Bolashak- Atyrau.
- Holds Bachelor’s degrees in Automatics Engineering from the Gubkin Russian State University of Oil & Gas (Moscow), in Accounting from the West Kazakhstan State University and Master’s degrees in Human Resources Management from the RANEPA (Moscow) and in International Human Resource Management from Kingston University in the UK.
Gulnara Shadeyeva
Head of HR in the RoK
View profileDaulet Tulegenov
Group Head of QHSE
- Appointed as Group head of QHSE in October 2018.
- 2017-2018 HSE Transformation team leader at KazMunaiGas JSC.
- 2010-2016 HSE manager at Lukoil.
- 2009-2010 Senior HSE expert at KazMunaiTeniz JSC.
- 2006-2009 Senior HSE specialist at LUKOIL.
- 2003-2006 Safety specialist at Tengizchevroil.
- Over 19 years’ experience in E&P oil and gas assets (onshore and offshore).
- Took part in major international projects at Chevron, Shell, Lukoil, Tengizchevroil and CNPC companies in Kazakhstan.
- Graduate of the Tyumen State Oil & Gas University, Russian Federation.
Daulet Tulegenov
Group Head of QHSE
View profileMelody Pinet
Head of HR outside the RoK
- Appointed as Nostrum’s Head of HR outside the RoK in May 2018.
- 2016-2018 HR Manager at Bee Engineering in Belgium.
- 2015-2016 HR consultant at Tempo-Team’ Randstad company in Belgium.
- 2013-2014 Fieldworker at Terres Rouges in Senegal.
- Holds two Bachelor’s degrees from the Université catholique de Louvain (one in Political Science and Government and one in Psychology).
- Holds Master’s degree from the Université catholique de Louvain in International relations and the management of diplomatic conflicts.
Melody Pinet
Head of HR outside the RoK
View profileNatalya Dibe
Head of ESG
- Appointed as Head of Budgeting and Control of Zhaikmunai LLP in January 2020.
- In 2014-2020 held position of financier in budgetary control with Zhaikmunai LLP.
- More than 18 years of post-qualification experience, including 9 years with one of the largest banks in CIS – Kazkom (currently Halyk) primarily in control and compliance.
- Holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Audit, and in Oriental Studies from the Eurasian Academy, Master of Business Administration degree from the Russian Presidential Academy. Executive Master in Public Management degree from the Russian Presidential Academy is in progress.
- Certified in Project Management (IPMA), and in ESG from University of Pennsylvania and London Reporting Academy.
- Participant and semifinalist of the management competition Leaders of Russia in international track in 2020 and 2021.
Natalya Dibe
Head of ESG
View profile