NEWS

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Announcement: Astana Finance Days 2025

4-5 September 2025

https://astanafindays.org/start

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Oak Road Ventures will be joining the upcoming 'Astana Finance Days' - held in the Kazakh capital on 4-5 September 2025. Our leadership team looks forward to meeting during the event and pre-arrangements can be confirmed by contacting: s.bourne@oakroadventures.com

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15 July 2025: 

Announcement: Oak Road Ventures spoke at the British Kazakh Society - in person event (London) on Tuesday 15 July 2025​

'Kazakhstan & UK – Resources for Trade and Investment - Interactive Discussion & Networking'

15 Jul 2025, 17:00 – 20:30 BST. London, UK

To read more: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7351644208169902080

About the event - organised by The British Kazakh Society

Explore New Opportunities in Trade & Investment 🇬🇧🇰🇿 and join for an evening of insight and connection at this seminar and networking evening.

 

Hosted by the British-Kazakh Society and Fieldfisher LLP, this event brings together business leaders, investors, and experts to explore opportunities between the UK and Kazakhstan in trade, investment, and beyond.

 

BKS Welcome:

David Skeels - BKS, Director

 

Embassy Welcome:

Yerlan Zeineshev - Counsellor, Kazakhstan Embassy, London

 

Fieldfisher Welcome:

Nodir Sidikov - Partner, Fieldfisher LLP

 

Panel of Speakers:

Steve Bourne - Director for Strategic Partnerships, Oak Road Ventures (former Chief of Staff AIFC, Astana)

 

Nick Coleman - Oil New Editor S&P Global Commodity Insights 

Business Development Officer, UK Export Finance

Natalia Lacorzana - Director, Head of Natural Resources, EBRD

Colin MacIsaac - CEO, FH Bertling Logistics

Caroline Messecar - Editor Strategic Markets, Technology Metals, Fastmarkets Metals and Mining

Ekaterina Miroshnikova - Director, Infrastructure Eurasia, EBRD

Ella Morton - Head of Central Asia, Department of Business and Trade

Ayuna Nechaeva - Head of Europe, Primary Markets, London Stock Exchange

Nicholas Pomeroy - BKS, Atyrau Representative

Gabriel Robinson - Dep. Sector Lead Agri-Tech, Department of Business & Trade

 

Registration and more information at: 

https://www.bksoc.org.uk/event-details/bks-fieldfisher-seminar-kazakhstan-uk-resources-for-trade-and-investment-interactive-discussion-and-networking

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23 June 2025: Oak Road Ventures in Central Asia

Oak Road Ventures was honoured to support the Mongolian Sustainable Finance Association high-level delegation visit to UK at The Chartered Institute for Securities & Investment (The CISI) hosted working meeting, with excellent presentations from all Mongolian delegates and the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA). Building capacity in green and sustainable finance and business  between Mongolia and the United Kingdom, ORV's Director, Strategic Partnerships, Steve Bourne placed the Mongolia programme in the context of international cooperation and knowledge exchange.

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7342870446054252545

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29-30 May 2025

Steve Bourne, Director of Strategic Partnerships, Oak Road Ventures, joined this year's Astana International Forum, Kazakhstan on 29 / 30 May 2025. The forum brought together leading speakers from governments, international organisations, businesses, and academic institutions to engage in transformative discussions and develop practical solutions to our most pressing global challenges. The International Forum concluded a week of partner meetings in Astana.

https://astanainternationalforum.org/

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2024

14 March 2024: UK and Kazakhstan Strengthening Business Relations

Joining a diverse panel at Fieldfisher, the European law firm's London office, Steve Bourne, Oak Road Venture's Director, Strategic Partnerships, addressed the changing investment environment in Kazakhstan and offered a view on critical areas of opportunity for investors. The event, organised by the British Kazakh Society, was opened by H.E. Magzhan Ilyassov, Ambassador of Kazakhstan to the United Kingdom and included speakers from the British Government, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and S&P Global Commodity Insights - and further details are available via Steve Bourne at Oak Road Ventures.

 

24 July 2023: Uzbek-British Business and Mining Forum, London

Oak Road Ventures was honoured to be invited to the Uzbek-British Mining Forum held at the Institute of Directors, London. With thanks to the Embassy of Uzbekistan for providing the overview.

'On July 24, the Embassy of Uzbekistan held  the Uzbek-British Business showcase event at the Institute of Directors (IoD). The High-level Uzbek delegation was led by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Uzbekistan, Bakhtiyor Saidov. More than 200 representatives of private investors , international banks, assets management agencies and  law firms participated at the showcase event. 
"Uzbekistan is seeking mutually beneficial partnerships, opening its doors wider to the world than ever, and inviting UK companies to become part of the incredible journey of the development”, - said Foreign Minister Saidov.
Amanda Brooks CBE, Director General at Department for Business and Trade outlined that the UK remains committed to developing and #strengthening economic ties with Uzbekistan. Increasing volumes of mutual trade and investment clearly demonstrate the great interest of british business in building up a strong economic tie with Uzbekistan. 
Presentations on the investment attractiveness and trade opportunities in Uzbekistan were highlighted by senior stakeholders in different sectors: Oybek Khamraev, Deputy Minister at Ministry of Investments and Foreign Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Omonullo Nasritdinhodjaev, First Deputy Minister of Mining Industry and Geology, Makhliyo Muksinova, Deputy Director at IT-Park Uzbekistan and others. 
A number of investment agreements and trade contracts were signed as an the outcome of the business forum'.

Further details are available from s.bourne@oakroadventures.com.

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6 July 2023: Kazakh-British Business Forum on Mining

Nusrat Ghani MP, Minister of State at UK's Department for Business and Trade, and H.E. Magzhan Illyasov, Kazakh Ambassador to the UK, spoke on how partnering with Kazakhstan can help develop and secure critical rare earth metal supply chains. Thanks to the Embassy of Kazakhstan in the UK for the invitation to Oak Road Ventures and our partners. Details on the event available via s.bourne@oakroadventures.com

https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7082853618172715009

 

17 June 2023: Oak Road Ventures, London office advising UK-based Financial and Related Professional Services sector

Oak Road Ventures will be supporting the UK's leading financial and related professional services membership body on international strategy and financing for projects in partner countries as part of its work promoting the value of the UK-based FRPS sector.

For information please contact: Steve Bourne - s.bourne@oakroadventures.com

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14 June 2023: Meeting with H.E. Mrs Ewa Polano, Ambassador of Sweden to the Republic of Kazakhstan at the Astana International Forum

Thanks to H.E. Mrs Ewa Polano, Ambassador of Sweden to the Republic of Kazakhstan for an insightful and inspiring discussion on deepening relations between Kazakhstan and Sweden and prospects for investment cooperation between the two countries. The meeting was held in the context of the Astana International Forum. https://www.linkedin.com/posts/oak-road-ventures_ewa-polano-on-instagram-great-to-welcome-activity-7074697563261558784-IuAr?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_ios

 https://www.instagram.com/p/CtaifcEIh-U/?igshid=NzJjY2FjNWJiZg==

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25 May 2023: Oak Road Ventures supporting its international partners

James Martin, Founder and CEO, will discuss how Oak Road Ventures supports the strategic investment and business development objectives of its clients in Kazakhstan, Oman, Singapore and the United Kingdom at the upcoming Astana Finance Days, to be held in Astana on 7 June 2023. 

To meet with James at Astana Finance Days, please contact: j.martin@oakroadventures.com