Sanzhar Zharkeshov was born in 1986 in the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan. He graduated from the Kazakh University of Economics, Finance and International Trade with a degree in finance in 2009 and from The University of Texas at Austin with a degree in petroleum engineering in 2010.
Sanzhar is a highly experienced executive in the oil and gas industry with a strong international presence.

He began his career as a research engineer in the Center for Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering in Austin, Texas, focusing on enhanced oil recovery technologies. He has served in various roles across the globe, including as a drilling engineer for ExxonMobil in the U.S. and Iraq, senior project engineer for the Kashagan project in Kazakhstan, and head of field supervisors at Merlin ERD in Scotland. From 2019 to 2020, he held the position of vice minister of Ecology, Geology and Natural Resources in Kazakhstan. He continued to expand his influence in the region by joining Naftogaz in Ukraine as deputy CEO for Geology and Development from 2020 to 2022.

In March 2022, Sanzhar was appointed chairman of the Management Board of QazaqGaz, the national gas company of Kazakhstan, where he is working to elevate the country’s position in the global gas industry. Known for his robust connections internationally, he has held advisory roles and contributed to projects in countries including Colombia, Oman, Russia, and the United Kingdom. His achievements include recognition from Queen Elizabeth II for contributions to the UK oil and gas industry, the 2017 Drilling Engineering Award from the Society of Petroleum Engineers, the 2015 ExxonMobil Innovation Medal, and the 2014 ExxonMobil VP Capital Efficiency Award and Medal. He currently serves on UT PGE’s External Advisory Committee.