Career Highlights
July 2024 – Present
Head of Research
Nightingale Int. · Full-time · Hybrid. Leading research initiatives providing data-driven insights on foreign policy, diplomacy, security, and economic development in Eurasian markets and beyond.
March 2024 – Present
Non-Resident Research Fellow
Haydar Aliyev Center for Eurasian Studies, Ibn Haldun University · Fixed-term · Istanbul, Turkey · Hybrid. Engaged in preparation of analytical materials on the countries of Central Asia and the South Caucasus.
July 2025 – Present
Delegate of the Youth Sounding Board
European Union in Kazakhstan · Part-time · Aqtau, Mangghystau Region, Kazakhstan · Hybrid. Member of a team of young leaders from Kazakhstan developing recommendations for the Delegation of the European Union to strengthen the partnership between Kazakhstan and the EU and convey the voice of Kazakhstan's youth to decision-makers.
July 2025 – Present
Political Researcher
Outpost | Eurasia · Part-time · Remote. Providing consultancy services on political and geopolitical developments in energy, security, and trade in Eurasia (Central Asia, Afghanistan, South Caucasus).
June 2025 – Present
Contract Head of Research Project
PeaceNexus Foundation · Fixed-term · Almaty, Kazakhstan · Remote. Heading a research project dedicated to facilitating peace and prosperity in Afghanistan by increasing economic cooperation with Central Asia, supported by the PeaceNexus Foundation and the Centre for Progressive Reforms.
July 2025 – Present
Member of the Azerbaijan-Central Asia Expert Community
STEM Analytical Center · Freelance · Baku, Azerbaijan · Remote. Preparing analytical materials on cooperation between Central Asian countries and Azerbaijan within the expert community at the STEM Lab analytical center.
August 2023 – April 2025
Policy Analyst
Freelance. Produced analysis for various publications including Cabar.asia as well as other think tanks and private companies.
April 2024 – December 2024
Columnist
Daryo Central Asia & Afghanistan · Fixed-term · Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Prepared monthly analytical articles on Central Asian affairs, mainly on foreign policy issues, for the company's website.
April 2024 – July 2024
Scholar
German Bundestag · Internship · Berlin, Germany · On-site. Worked in the office of Stephan Mayer, Member of the German Bundestag, supporting analytical work on various issues. Created 10 analytical reports including research on construction industry data analysis, CO2 footprint of freight companies, sustainability strategy for UEFA EURO 2024, and analysis of responses to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD).
October 2022 – September 2023
European and International Studies Specialist
HEARTLAND expert analytical center · Freelance · Almaty, Kazakhstan · On-site. Published more than 10 articles related to Kazakhstan's foreign policy in Europe, interaction of Central Asian countries with the European Union and Turkey, and internal development issues of EU countries.
July 2021 – September 2022
Assistant for Monitoring and Evaluation
Institute for National and International Initiatives of Development · Full-time · Almaty, Kazakhstan. Wrote approximately 12 reports on projects related to Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) and Financial Action Task Force (FATF), wrote about 20 project applications, and organized the triple conference "Think globally, act locally".
February 2022 – June 2022
Intern
Institute for Foreign Affairs and Trade (IFAT) · Internship · Budapest, Hungary. Collected and analyzed important news about Central Asia, wrote a policy brief on "Representation of Foreign Actors in Kazakhstan's Social Media Segment during January 2022", and participated in organizing the Balkan Forum in Budapest.
September 2021 – June 2022
Conference and Event Student Assistant
Andrássy University Budapest · Part-time · Budapest, Hungary. Provided event support, participated in about 20 events on international relations topics, and wrote 10 event reports.
January 2020 – April 2021
Intern
Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy · Internship · Hamburg, Germany. Prepared about 5 analytical papers on news in Central Asia, an analytical paper on UN peacebuilding, and reviewed publications of 10 foreign academic journals 2015-2020 on Central Asia.
October 2019 – February 2020
Chairperson
Association of Student Organisations in Almaty G39 · Full-time · Almaty, Kazakhstan. Elected chairman at a general meeting of heads of student councils. Developed a common development strategy, established social networks, and held more than 10 joint meetings with leaders of other student organisations.
September 2018 – November 2019
President
Student Council of the Kazakh-German University · Full-time · Almaty, Kazakhstan. Elected by university students. Built up a new student council team, held more than 30 events, and established contacts with more than ten companies. Achieved 65% positive student approval rating and was re-elected.
Education
September 2021 – April 2024
Master of Arts (MA), International Relations
Andrássy University Budapest.
October 2022 – March 2023
Master's Degree, Political Science
University of Wuppertal. Dual degree programme with main specialisation in public influence on foreign policy.
September 2017 – June 2021
Bachelor of Arts (BA), International Relations and Affairs
German-Kazakh University (DKU).
October 2020 – March 2021
Bachelor's Degree, Political Science
University of Hamburg. Exchange programme from Copernicus e. V. Hamburg with financial support from Zeit-Stiftung Ebelin und Gerd Bucerius.
Volunteer Work
September 2018 – March 2021
Fundraising Volunteer
Red Crescent Society of Kazakhstan · Social Services. Together with the student council team, raised about 100,000 tenge (approximately $270) for the organisation's fund. During the coronavirus pandemic, helped with fundraising mailings to companies and translations of the organisation's documentation.
January 2016 – December 2016
Volunteer
UNDP Kazakhstan · Social Services. Helped organize UNDP events in the Mangistau region and received a certificate of attendance at a training workshop on Designing Volunteer Programmes.
International Relations
Geopolitical Analysis
Policy Analysis
Research
Article Writing
Regression Analysis
Comparative Politics
Strategic Planning
Project Management
Analytical Skills
Team Leadership
Central Asia
Eurasia
