Rustam Karagoishin Discusses Infrastructure Financing with Austrian Delegation

Rustam Karagoishin, Chairman of the Management Board of Baiterek Holding, met with an Austrian delegation led by Severin Gruber, Secretary General of Austria's Federal Ministry of Economy, Energy and Tourism. The parties discussed the joint preparation and financing of infrastructure projects in Kazakhstan, as well as approaches to state asset management.

The meeting was attended by Andrea Bacher, Ambassador of Austria to Kazakhstan; Edith Lavati, Head of the Austrian state holding company Österreichische Beteiligungs AG (ÖBAG); and representatives of OMV and Austrian Post. The Baiterek Holding group of companies was represented by the heads of the Development Bank of Kazakhstan and the Export Credit Agency of Kazakhstan.

The parties considered how Kazakhstani development institutions and Austrian companies could participate in preparing infrastructure projects. They discussed public-private partnership mechanisms and instruments to support Austrian exports that could be applied to the supply of equipment and services for projects in Kazakhstan.

For Baiterek Holding, the practical value lies in involving Austrian companies at the project preparation stage, when the customer defines equipment requirements and assesses the costs of its delivery and maintenance.

“We are ready to consider specific proposals from Austrian companies together with our development institutions. For each project, it is important to understand what our partners can offer, which part of the work can be carried out in Kazakhstan, and what sources of financing are available. This will make it possible to assess the terms under which a project can be implemented at the preparation stage,” the Head of the Holding said.

The participants also discussed the role of the state as a shareholder, using Baiterek Holding and ÖBAG as examples. The parties exchanged views on approaches to setting strategic objectives for holding companies, evaluating their performance, and taking economic policy priorities into account when making investment decisions.

Infrastructure financing had previously been discussed at the level of development institutions. In December 2025, the Development Bank of Kazakhstan held a meeting with Austrian financial and industrial companies to explore export financing opportunities and the development of joint instruments for new projects.