Business-Aru
Women’s Entrepreneurship Support Program
Business-Aru is the project initiated by Bank CenterCredit in partnership with Mastercard and supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) as part of the Women in Business Programme.
- Valuable insights into sales, marketing, finance and other required business tools - free of charge
- Opportunity to create own business plan to expand an existing business or build a new one
- Opportunity to present the business plan to independent judges comprising of Bank CenterCredit, Mastercard and EBRD experts, and receive a cash grant to implement the business plan or non-financial business development support from EBRD
- Three KZT 10,000,000 Grants
- Non-financial business development support from EBRD (Consulting)
Eligibility Criteria
- Age: over 18
- Willingness to learn: a commitment to acquire new business knowledge and improve professional skills
- Business Idea: having a business idea and willing to implement it
- Age: over 18
- Participation in Training: completed all modules of the Business-Aru Programme
- Business Plan: created custom business plans to start or grow own business
- Timely Submission: submitted a ready-made business plan to the Business-Aru contest judges for consideration
In case of winning,
- a cash grant recipient must have an IE or be a business owner (Head of IE; if operating as an LLP – 100% business ownership at the time of receiving the grant)
- a winner of the EBRD consulting must have at least 2 years of business registration, qualify as an SME entity under the laws of the Republic of Kazakhstan, be a private local enterprise demonstrating the need for development through the involvement of external business expertise
The contest organizer shall reserve the right to refuse registration and/or application review if it is found out that the applicant has publicly shared information that does not meet the provisions of law, moral and/or ethical principles, or any information that infringes on the rights and legitimate interests of third parties, or threatens such infringement.
Just submit an application
Winners of the Business-Aru contest will be selected by judges comprising of Bank CenterCredit, Mastercard, EBRD representatives.
Winners will be selected based on the business plan they created for building a new business or expanding an existing one.
Important! Participation in all training modules is a mandatory requirement for receiving prizes.
The official awards ceremony, during which the judges will announce winners of the Business-Aru contest, will be held in Astana. Information on the date, venue and time will be communicated to participants additionally.
2026 Business-Aru Contest Stages
CONTEST JUDGES
Education: In 1997-2001, A. Ovsyannikova successfully graduated from Almaty Institute of Technology and Business, specializing Finance and Credit, having acquired profound knowledge in finance.
In 2019, she completed the MBA programme at the Corporate University of Sberbank in collaboration with INSEAD International School.
Work Experience: Since the beginning of her career in 2000, Anastasia Ovsyannikova has demonstrated herself as a determined specialist, showcasing high professionalism and leadership qualities across various sectors of Kazakhstan’s financial industry.
From 2000 to 2011, she held key positions at JSC Halyk Bank of Kazakhstan and JSC KazinvestBank, overseeing operational management, development of banking products, and financial control.
Since 2013, Anastasia Ovsyannikova worked at Subsidiary Bank of PJSC Sberbank in Kazakhstan and held senior positions focusing on corporate business planning and then assumed leadership of the Finance Department.
In 2022, Anastasia Ovsyannikova was appointed Deputy Chairperson of the Management Board at Subsidiary Bank of JSC Sberbank (now JSC Bereke Bank), where she adeptly steered financial processes and strategic planning.
From early 2023, Anastasia Ovsyannikova has held the role of Managing Director at JSC Bank CenterCredit, where she implements key strategic initiatives and manages financial functions, including the Finance Department, Accounting, and Treasury.
In 2023, she was elected Vice President and Member of the Management Board of JSC Bank CenterCredit, affirming her significance and influence in Kazakhstan’s banking landscape.
Her extensive experience and professional achievements make her an outstanding leader among financial sector specialists, capable of successfully tackling complex challenges and implementing companies’ strategic initiatives.
In his role, Sanzhar is responsible for the development and growth of Mastercard business in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, for cooperation with partners, creation and banding of key digital products and solutions for payments, acquiring, cybersecurity and other fields, for banks and entire payment ecosystem. An important direction of his work is building relationships with Governments aiming the development of a cashless economy.
Sanzhar has extensive experience in financial and telecommunication sectors, including JSC Kazkommerz Secutrities, JSC Kazakhtelecom, London office of ING Bank N.V. (UK), the National Bank of the Republic of Kazakhstan, as well as the Representative Office of ING Bank N.V. in Kazakhstan, where he was promoted to the position of Head of the representative office.
He holds an Executive MBA degree from the University of Cambridge (UK), a Master’s degree in International Financial Analysis from the University of Newcastle (UK) and a BSc in Financial Mathematics from Charles University (Check Republic). Moreover, he holds the prestigious financial certificate CFA and Certificate in the Company Direction from the Institute of Directors (UK).
Daria is responsible for the development of the small and medium-sized business (SME) segment at Mastercard in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, including the localization and launch of business solutions, as well as strategic partnerships with banks and fintech companies to drive the adoption of digital payment solutions in B2B.
She has extensive experience in e-commerce, banking, and payment industries, having worked at Kaspi.kz and UnionPay International.
Daria holds a master’s degree in economics from MGIMO and Beijing University of Business and Economics, as well as a Bachelor's degree from Moscow State University (MSU).
Kairat Shalabay has more than 22 years of experience in banking and has implemented advisory projects across Eastern Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. His areas of expertise include inclusive and sustainable finance, small and medium-sized enterprise development, risk management, agricultural finance, housing finance, women’s banking and green finance.
He currently leads the implementation of the following EBRD projects: “Women in Business in Kazakhstan”, “Climate Transition Planning for Financial Institutions in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan”, and “GEFF Uzbekistan”.
Since joining the EBRD in 2004, Olga Donets has been the EBRD’s Project Manager in the Energy, Transport and Financial Institutions sectors. Olga currently oversees the EBRD’s major projects with large banks in Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Central Asia and is an operational leader of the EBRD’s Women in Business Programme. She holds the MBA degree.
Azim Gaibulin is an expert in small and medium-sized enterprise development with more than ten years of experience managing EBRD programmes and strategic initiatives across Central Asia, Mongolia, and other countries of the Bank’s operations. He has worked at the country and regional levels, as well as at the EBRD headquarters.
Prior to joining the EBRD, he led USAID projects in Kyrgyzstan focused on supporting micro-enterprises and enhancing export potential.
Since 2025, he has been heading the EBRD SME Support Programme in Kazakhstan.
Contest Organizer
Bank CenterCredit, one of the leaders in the country’s banking system. The Bank has been providing simple and convenient products and services in all regions of Kazakhstan since 1988.
Partner
Mastercard powers economies and empowers people in 200+ countries and territories worldwide. Together with its customers, the Company is building a sustainable economy where everyone can prosper. We support a wide range of digital payment choices, making transactions secure, simple, smart and accessible. Our technology and innovation, partnerships and networks combine to deliver a unique set of products and services that to help people, businesses and governments realize their greatest potential.
Supported by
The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is a multilateral bank that promotes the development of the private sector and entrepreneurial initiative. The EBRD’s Women in Business Programme has been successfully operating in Kazakhstan since 2015 with the support of the Government of Kazakhstan.
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