 | 15 YEARS IN SPITE OF ALL THE WINDS Fifteen years ago, I conceived an idea to publish a new magazine. At that time our country desperately needed the foreign capital and therefore, the foreign investors were expected and greeted with open arms and all the doors were opened for them. The exhibition and conferences were arranged just for them; various information products, telling about the investment climate and conditions of doing business in Kazakhstan were published. Therefore, back then the idea of a magazine for investors seemed very good to me.
Moreover, we selected a suitable project partner – Kazakhstan Investment Promotion Centre. Now this structure does not exist any more, but then, in the early 2000s, it worked in a very efficient manner. As a result, in June 2000 the pilot issue of InvestKazakhstan magazine (as it was called) was presented to the delegates to the First Investors’ Congress in Kazakhstan. And the first step wasn’t troublesome.
Later, at the beginning of 2005, our ways with Kazinvest drifted apart. The magazine name was also changed: the first part – “Invest” –we “offered” to our ex-partner and as I sometimes joke, we modestly kept “Kazakhstan” part.
However, along with the magazine name, its content also undergone the changes. At that time, the issue of attracting the foreign investors somehow faded and was not that relevant any more, while the local business required greater attention from the part of the society and the state. We responded immediately, deciding to become a magazine for the management of large and medium-sized companies. And while there were strong competitors (or they appeared later), as proverb says, life will make things fall into place.
For example, Kazinvest tried to publish its own magazine for a while, but soon the company was liquidated. Most of our competitors that have been powerful before, shifted to Internet or finally left the media market. Occasionally at the international events, we see the foreign-made investment magazine, which name is quite alike our past-time magazine, before its upgrading... However, I sincerely wish our peers the success, because the world is not an inspirational place without the rivals and competition.
I would like to honestly say that the last ten years were not easy for us too. In the words of seafarers, the storm of crisis have battered our sails. However, the spirit of our team became even stronger. Today we continue our growth and development. Mostly, it can be explained by introduction of an effective system for the company management, constant training of our managers and staff, improvement of business processes and, of course, a trust in the future of our magazine.
Even if the prolonged pre-devaluation calm in the economy of Kazakhstan might be broken by the storm, we firmly believe that we will ride out. We will ride out together with you, our readers, partners and clients.
Vladimir Voloshin,
Editor-in-Chief
AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. In a Steep Dive INDUSTRIALIZATION. Second Five-Year Plan As Response to Crisis FORUM. Oil and Investments. Risks and Îpportunities INCURANCE. Market Irregularity FORUM. Expecting the Devaluation FORUM. E-commerce: Why Mission Is Possible |
Table of contents
Expecting the Devaluation Editorial
Insurance. Market Irregularity Editorial
E-commerce: Why Mission Is Possible Editorial
Automotive industry. In a Steep Dive Svetlana Arbuzova
Second Five-Year Plan As Response to Crisis Sergey Gakhov
