Bakhytzhan Kurmanov is an expert and consultant in economic and public policy with experience in Kazakh and international organizations. He has worked on policy issues in think tanks and promoted the improvement of public services at the UNDP. His research interests include optimization of public services, open government and e-government, industrial policy, and introduction of new public management reform in Kazakhstan. He is a PhD candidate at the Graduate School of Public Policy at the Nazarbayev University.