Born 15 June 1954, in the city of Pavlodar

Married -- wife Guliya Koyshibekovna, one daughter Adeliya, born 1983, one son Talgat, born 1985

1976 -- Graduates Pavlodar Industrial Institute, candidate in economic sciences, dissertation "Problems of Adapting Economies of a Region with a High Level of Industrial Development to the Market: Peculiarities, mechanism (Based on examples in Pavlodar Oblast)"

1976-81 -- Worked as repairman at the home-building kombinat Pavlodarzhilstroi

1981-83 -- Instructor at Ekibastuz city council (gorkom) of the Communist Party

1983-87 -- Deputy chief engineer, secretary of the party committee at the Ekibastuzshakhtostroi kombinat

1987-91 -- Deputy chairman of the Ekibastuz city executive committee (gorispolkom)

1992-93 -- Director of Ekibastuzenergozhilpromstroi

1993-97 -- Head of the administration, governor (akim) of Pavlodar Oblast

1997-99 -- Governor (akim) of North Kazakhstan Oblast

1999-2000 -- Deputy prime minister for matters of industry, energy, agriculture, transportation, communications, and migration and demographic policies

2000-2001 -- First deputy prime minister

2001-2003 -- Governor (akim) of Pavlodar Oblast

13 June 2003-present -- Prime minister