GRATA International Beijing Participates in business event AIFC Connect: Hong Kong 2025

On May 22 Gulnur Nurkeeva, Managing Partner, Head of GRATA International Office in China, participated as a speaker in a panel discussion at the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) business event - AIFC Connect: Hong Kong 2025.

The event opened with welcome remarks by Renat Bekturov, Governor of the AIFC, and Nicholas Ho, HK Government Commissioner of Belt and Road. 

A series of discussions with industry experts were organised at the event, where insights and forecasts about the future of Kazakhstan’s capital markets, the landscape of financial services in Central Asia, and the unique role of the AIFC in providing investor protection mechanisms and resolving international disputes were shared. 

Mrs. Nurkeyeva participated in a high-level panel discussion titled “Protecting Investor Rights in Kazakhstan: Can AIFC Bridge the Trust Gap?”. The session was moderated by Christopher Campbell-Holt, Registrar and Chief Executive of the AIFC Court & IAC. Expert opinion was also shared by Laurence Li, Senior Counsel at Temple Chambers.

During the session, Mrs. Nurkeyeva shared practical insights from her extensive experience advising cross-border investors and representing clients in the recognition and enforcement of foreign arbitral awards in Kazakhstan. Her remarks highlighted the evolving legal landscape, institutional safeguards under the AIFC framework, and the unique role of the AIFC Court and IAC in enhancing investor confidence in the region.

Shaimerden Chikanayev* and Akzhan Sargaskayeva, Counsel at GRATA International Beijing also contributed to the vibrant networking and knowledge-sharing environment of the event.

Over 120 representatives from Hong Kong companies participated in the event, including senior management from banks, investment and insurance companies, and asset management firms. 

AIFC Connect is an exclusive meeting format where experts and participants within finance and industrial sectors come together to exchange views on the AIFC’s initiatives and the investment opportunities Kazakhstan offers for the business. AIFC Connect events were held in Singapore in 2023, and in London and the Dubai in 2024, in Seoul in 2025.  

 

*Not an employee of GRATA International. Currently on study sabbatical.