Director of Tax Department
About the Employee
Olzhas Kasenov has 20 years of experience in tax authorities, including more than 5 years in managerial positions at the Ministry of Finance and the Committee of State Revenues.
Olzhas directly participated in negotiations, conclusion, and ratification of international treaties on the avoidance of double taxation with a number of countries.
Olzhas also took direct part in the development of the Tax Code in 2017 (International Taxation Section).
During the implementation of BEPS initiatives (including MLI) in Kazakhstan, Olzhas represented the Committee of State Revenues as an official contact person, repeatedly speaking at OECD events in Paris.
In addition, in 2016–2017 he headed the Committee of State Revenues working group on interaction with the OECD Global Forum, coordinating the process of assessing the transparency of Kazakhstan's tax service within the OECD rating framework.
In the private sector, Olzhas has experience working in an international consulting company and in holding structures, where he dealt with tax consulting issues and support in pre-trial and judicial appeals of tax audits.
Olzhas has extensive experience in tax consulting on international taxation issues, as well as experience in supporting and appealing the results of tax audits in the courts of the Republic of Kazakhstan.
Olzhas holds a Master's degree from Brunel University London in Finance and Accounting.
- Senior Manager / Director of Tax Practice at Fortune Partners LLP (2023 - present)
- Chief Manager of Tax Planning Department at a holding company (2022 - 2023)
- Chief Consultant at an international consulting company (2020 - 2022)
- Head of Non-Resident Taxation Department of the State Revenue Department for West Kazakhstan Region (2019 - 2020)
- Deputy Director of the Tax and Customs Legislation Department of the Ministry of Finance of the Republic of Kazakhstan (2018 - 2019)
- Chief Expert / Deputy Head of Non-Resident Taxation Department of the Committee of State Revenues (2008 - 2018)
- Work in the tax authorities of East Kazakhstan Region (2001 - 2008)
2015 — Master's degree in Finance and Accounting, Brunel University London
2001 — Bachelor's degree in Finance and Economics, Shakarim State University (Semey)
- Successful support of the income taxation issue under an EPC contract for a foreign company at the Committee of State Revenues, which resulted in the removal of the tax payment issue in the amount of approximately USD 160 million
- Successful court challenge of VAT additional assessments to a major exporter under the EAEU Treaty in the amount of more than USD 7.0 million
- Successful court challenge of additional assessments from tax audits regarding the application of tax conventions to major foreign engineering companies for a total amount of more than USD 1.5 million
- Successful court challenge of additional assessments from tax audits regarding royalties to major telecommunications companies for a total amount of approximately USD 1 million
- Support in appealing additional assessments to non-profit organizations in the amount of more than USD 4 million
- Support in appealing the refusal to refund CIT from non-residents in the amount of more than USD 2 million
- Tax consulting on various issues of the banking and financial sector / AIFC companies / logistics sector, etc.