On August 6, 2026, FOTIMA GROUP traveled to Atyrau, the pivotal oil and gas hub in western Kazakhstan, to sign a new international strategic cooperation agreement with the Atyrau Branch of ATAMEKEH, Kazakhstan’s national-level entrepreneurs association. The branch has recently inaugurated its new presidium, embarking on a fresh five-year term. Lu Yizhen, CEO of FOTIMA GROUP, who concurrently serves as Director of the China Office at Atyrau Oil and Gas University and Exclusive China Consultant for ATAMEKEH, attended the signing ceremony and presided over in-depth business discussions with all participating parties.
As Kazakhstan’s highly authoritative national chamber of entrepreneurs, the Atyrau Branch is rooted in the country’s core western oil and gas city. It delivers government-enterprise liaison, investment promotion, foreign investment support, and cross-border trade matchmaking services, capable of providing a full spectrum of localized business resources to support our project implementation in Kazakhstan. With the new presidium officially taking office, the branch has entered a brand-new development phase. It prioritizes three core sectors: transnational education-research-industry collaboration, commercialization of scientific and technological achievements, and cross-border trade, and is eager to establish a dedicated channel for cooperation with the Chinese market.
Following extensive deliberations and negotiations, FOTIMA GROUP and ATAMEKEH formalized the ATAMEKEH International Strategic Partnership Agreement with the Kazakh government and terms for the China Consultant role. The cooperation framework comprehensively covers educational exchanges, commercialization of scientific and technological outcomes, commercial collaboration and supporting services. Both sides plan to organize on-site study tours to China for local entrepreneurs and jointly launch training programs for transnational business leaders. Leveraging its local networks, the chamber will assist FOTIMA GROUP in accessing government and industry connections as well as policy incentives for project rollout across western Kazakhstan’s oil and gas belt. Drawing on its years of experience operating in Central Asia and robust domestic supply chain resources, FOTIMA GROUP will support local Kazakh enterprises in tapping into the Chinese market to realize two-way industrial circulation between China and Kazakhstan.
Lu Yizhen, CEO of FOTIMA GROUP and Director of the China Office at Atyrau Oil and Gas University, stated: “Atyrau stands as the core cluster of Kazakhstan’s oil and gas industry, as well as a critical hub for us to explore Central Asian markets under the Belt and Road Initiative. The signing of this renewed partnership coincides with the inauguration of ATAMEKEH Atyrau Branch’s new presidium, marking a brand-new chapter in our strategic cooperation. Moving forward, beyond expanding exports of oil and gas supporting equipment and industrial sensing devices, we will fulfill our mandate as ATAMEKEH’s official China consultant to advance cross-university industry-university-research cooperation, incubation of cutting-edge technologies, and two-way commercial services. We will fully support high-quality Chinese educational resources, advanced technologies and premium industrial equipment to enter Central Asian markets.”
The newly inaugurated presidium of ATAMEKEH Atyrau Branch spoke highly of FOTIMA GROUP’s comprehensive industrial capabilities and proven track record of cross-border operations between China and Kazakhstan. The new leadership attaches great importance to the development potential of transnational education-research collaboration, technology incubation and cross-border trade. Over its new term, the branch will rely heavily on this strategic cooperation to introduce high-quality industrial and educational resources from China and invigorate foreign trade in Atyrau. Meanwhile, the presidium has officially appointed FOTIMA GROUP as ATAMEKEH’s official representative for China market outreach. It expects the Group to engage actively with China’s Council for the Promotion of International Trade and various industry chambers of commerce, establish regular channels for chamber exchanges and corporate mutual visits, integrate commercial resources from both sides, jointly unlock a new landscape of China-Kazakhstan economic and trade cooperation, and consolidate a lasting, robust bond for bilateral commercial, educational and scientific collaboration.
Capitalizing on high-quality development opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative, FOTIMA GROUP has long focused on cross-border industrial development across Central Asia. Lu Yizhen, CEO of FOTIMA GROUP, holds dual positions as Director of the China Office at Atyrau Oil and Gas University and Exclusive China Consultant for ATAMEKEH, Kazakhstan’s national entrepreneurs association. The Group’s business portfolio encompasses cross-border economic and trade cooperation, cross-border industry-university-research innovation, industrial transformation of scientific and technological achievements, and cultivation of entrepreneurial talent, with continuous market expansion across all regions of Kazakhstan. Taking this post-presidium-transition strategic cooperation as a key driver, the Group will build two-way channels for China-Kazakhstan educational and scientific exchanges as well as technology transfer and commercial services, construct a multi-dimensional connectivity bridge linking the two countries, and foster in-depth alignment and win-win outcomes for the real economy, education and science sectors of China and Kazakhstan.
