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Not everything in life can be measured in money


17.04.2014
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Not everything in life can be measured in money

When Serikbay Bisekeev visits Kazakhstan, he comes not as a foreigner - even though he has already been living and working for such a long time in different countries: first in Russia, and currently in Singapore.

Nevertheless, he still holds our country dear and is truly concerned about developments here. Bisekeev - president of "Arman" Corporation, who is recognized as one of the leaders on the Russian IT-engineering market, and recipient of the 2012 international 'Entrepreneur Of The Year Award'. All of which has not prevented him from spending his time organising the recent Kazakh-Singapore Business Forum, or from giving lectures to students at KIMEP.

- Serikbay, the students were so reluctant to let you go. You take interest in talking to them; how do they engage with you?

- I'm really interested. I think that it is important to share my experience. I try to help young people to develop, to find their own way, because this is the future of the country. Moreover, I feel that I am obliged to do it.

- You are a successful businessman, a self-sufficient person. I think that the development of your company demands your full commitment. Yet, as one of the initiators of the Kazakh-Singapore Business Forum, you spend a lot of your time organising it. Why do you need it?

- Not everything in life can be measured in money. While living abroad I am always thinking about my homeland: how can I help? In my view, a patriot is not someone who is content to just sit around on an old sofa in the house where he was born, but someone who creates jobs - who introduces new technology, and who passes his experience on to the younger generation. I want the world to see Kazakhstan in the best possible light - to know about the riches of our country, about the opportunities that investors have access to. And maybe in the future our country will also become an example to be followed.

- Is it difficult to organize such events? What results would you like to see?

- It is not easy. And not only for me: the fact that so far not only oil and gas companies, but a variety of companies in other sectors are reluctant to invest in Kazakhstan, indicates that laws have been adopted to cater for the interests of specific parties. I would love to bring other players here, but to do that we need to stop just talking about it and create the conditions. The President says a lot about creating a favourable climate for investors and assigns the task - but the execution is lame.

- It is clear that any relationship, including in business, is a two-way-street. Would our entrepreneurs meet a whole different ball game in Singapore?

- If you have a competitive offer, come and play - this is what it's like all over the world. If you are prepared to compete - no problem! In Singapore, as in other developed markets, everyone is on equal terms.

- Being aware of all these difficulties, what you want to achieve? What is your objective?

- I am convinced that here in Kazakhstan there are talented and intelligent individuals who have ideas and competitive advantages. I really hope that they find industry partners who are interested in setting up joint projects, and that this will bring Kazakh entrepreneurs to the world market. Our forum was conceived for this purpose: to open the borders for ideas and contacts. Actually, I'd like to note that this forum was held with a specific focus on small and medium enterprises.

- Why?

- Initially, we arranged with the government of Singapore that we would not target large-scale projects or large corporations. Representatives of small and medium-sized businesses are less political - more flexible and open - and they can make decisions more quickly. I see this as an opportunity for improving the situation. The main problem as I see it is that Kazakhstan is not so well-known around the world. It would be really valuable to set up a travelling forum - to let businesses in different countries see our opportunities and our wealth, our rules of business and other nuances.

- And has the Singapore government shown interest in your idea?

- Yes, they have supported me. In Kazakhstan it was hard to find any support. My task is to at least begin the process of exchanging information, to introduce people to each other. Why did I invite the Singapore Business Federation? It includes 21,000 enterprises from this country that are thriving in a variety of industries. Now, the Singapore Business Federation can provide detailed information to companies that do not yet know about Kazakhstan, but who want to know. To inform them that the country has changed a long time ago: that here there are educated, competent and proactive people with whom you can do business. And your new site "Unique Kazakhstan" can be a useful tool for the Federation in this introductory work.

- Many people probably know how you started, but what has enabled you to persist?

- Very simple: I've always tried to do that which, for whatever reason, no one else was doing. I tried to find a competitive advantage where everything depended on me alone - to find my niche. In this way I discovered the need for developing industrial communications. Or a niche such as the development of infrastructure in factories. Accordingly, I first became a distributor of German equipment, and then realized that production was not complicated. We wrote programs, created our own products. New technologies, new processors and new chips needed to appear on the market every six months, but our main competitors were working very slowly. As a result, we soon became one of the market leaders.

- You often emphasize that the success of a company is largely down to the team. What is important for you when choosing a team?

- The main thing is the ability to think - to invent something new. An equally important factor is the desire to work; a certain obsession - the company's mission. Only afterwards is it necessary to look at qualifications, because we can provide the team with knowledge and skills: we hold a lot of professional training sessions in our company. We look for people who share the company's interests.

- How is "Arman" Corporation represented on the market in Kazakhstan?

- We work, we introduce new technology, we pay taxes... We have two offices: one in Almaty and one in Astana. Incidentally, with no administrative support the company has won major tenders in Kazakhstan - including construction of the 1500km long Beineu - Shymkent pipeline, the metropolitan railway in Almaty, as well as fulfilling orders for the Ministry of Defence.

- You have been living and working abroad for more than 20 years. Do you still have habits and tastes that can be identified with Kazakhstan?

- Of course! I haven't completely severed my roots. I enjoy Kazakh dishes, and cherish our traditions. My parents, sisters and cousins still live here. I come here often and do not detach myself from the concerns of the country.

Source:  «Дорогой» magazine, April 2014.

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