NUR.KZ, June 12, 2013
Kantor Bekaralovich, what is your secret to success?
I believe the secret to anyone's success lies in two factors: intuition and will. Regardless of how analytical a person is, it is intuition and instinct that help make the right decisions. People without outstanding talents or academic knowledge can nevertheless consistently make correct business decisions if they have a good instinct for success. These qualities are mostly given to us externally, either inborn or nurtured in childhood. But we can develop them within ourselves. How?
By studying our own and others' life experiences, analyzing them. In life, whether at work or at home, we face different situations that put us before a system of certain rules. We try to understand the reason for a particular situation or problem, analyze it, thus equipping ourselves with tools that will help us make the right decision in due time. I think everyone in life has a chance to take the right path, and the task is not to miss it, to notice it, to make the right choice. Once the choice is made, and a person is on their way, they need the will to overcome obstacles, to move steadfastly towards their goal. It is both possible and necessary to work on will. And I believe that anyone, even someone who lacks willpower, can change themselves.
Do you have these qualities?
I hope so. But I believe my greatest success in life is still ahead of me.
What is your biggest drawback and what are you proud of?
Emotional restraint. It's something I would like to eliminate because it affects the people close to me. In fact, they often don't even suspect what warmth I feel towards them. However, this emotional restraint is also something I am proud of. You can call it composure. It helps to make cold, calculated decisions in difficult and conflict situations.
What is most important to you, besides family?
Honor, self-respect, self-realization, self-development.
What literature would you recommend to young people just starting their journey toward success?
None. There's no need to follow someone else's path to achieve success; everyone can have a different one. If a book helped one person achieve a certain success, it doesn't mean it will help another, as they already possess different qualities and talents. One person might need to read "Robinson Crusoe" to survive on a deserted island, and another might need love stories by Guy de Maupassant to build a relationship with a woman. I don't believe in the usefulness of miracle books with flashy titles like "How to Become a Millionaire" or "How to Become a Successful Entrepreneur." I feel this is an industry that only helps authors of these books earn money.
What would you recommend to achieve success in life?
To succeed, one needs to pursue their own business. I believe everyone has a talent. If a person can identify their talent, success awaits them. It doesn't matter how trendy or prestigious the field of activity is, what matters is that they can realize themselves in it. Then everything will go well in life.
How did you realize that the banking sector was the field in which you could succeed?
I have always engaged in what I enjoy. As a fifth-year student at the Institute of National Economy, I started working at Igilik Bank in the foreign exchange department. My generation was lucky; it was the time of new economics after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the skills of the older generation suddenly lost value, and young specialists had significantly more chances to express themselves than in the current situation. If in the '70s youth was a temporary disadvantage, in the '90s youth became an advantage.
After working for 9 months at Igilik Bank, gaining some authority, I moved to Alem Bank starting from scratch, from the very bottom. It was then that I realized the most important thing for young specialists is the company's development prospects and your opportunity to advance your qualifications. I worked there for some time and fully mastered my duties related to letters of credit and guarantees, after which I wanted to learn the intricacies of the treasury. I tried to move within the bank, which I couldn't. At that moment, I received an offer to switch to the National Bank. What I saw positive in this offer was a promotion, hope that the new bank would become strong, and the fact that my work at Alem Bank stopped bringing new skills and professional satisfaction. Most acquaintances advised against moving from the most prestigious bank in Kazakhstan to "yesterday's savings bank," especially when the salary was three times lower.
Overall, I moved to the National Bank as head of the foreign exchange department, then became deputy head, then head of the dealing operations and precious metals department. In essence, from 1995 to 2000, I worked in the treasury of the National Bank. After 5 years in the treasury, I eventually realized that I had mastered everything I needed in this specialty. I then decided to try myself in entrepreneurship.
Entrepreneurship turned out not to be the field of activity from which I gained professional satisfaction. At this point in my life, I realized I needed to engage in what I liked, so I decided to return to the banking sector, now to a new area for me, the credit department. As I had no experience in lending, I had to start again as a basic specialist.
Within a year, I managed to grasp the main tricks and become head of the department for work with corporations. Then came another interesting offer; the Pension Assets Management Company needed an analyst for investment activities. It was a very tempting offer because it was difficult and interesting at the same time. Considering that I had never dealt with investment activities, I was neither offered a managerial position nor a high salary, but there were prospects for development.
On my part, I could offer knowledge in assessing the credit quality of issuers, experience working with financial instruments on the open market, and a great desire to advance business processes. At Halyk Fund, I went through all the managerial levels from manager-analyst to first deputy chairman of the fund.
From the moment I joined the company's board, I was entrusted with various directions such as marketing and housekeeping. This was invaluable experience. After 10 years, I again reached a point of satiation, when I wanted to broaden my horizons a bit. I have held the position of chairman of Nurbank since March this year. My goal is to make this bank better than it was before me. And this goal is the most interesting and exciting challenge I have faced in my life.
Who influenced you the most as an individual?
My older brother. I believe early age influence is the strongest. He taught me very simple and very important things that are the foundation of a personality. Any other person, regardless of their stature, will not have as much influence on my personality.
And in your professional sphere?
Edigen Mukhanov—he believed in me, gave a chance to a completely unfamiliar, young, 24-year-old person to prove himself. He gave me a credit of trust, which needed to be justified. Trust is the most valuable gift you can receive from your leader. I still regard this person as my mentor, although we haven't worked together for many years.
Do you remember how you earned your first personal money?
Yes, we had a vocational training day at school. One day a week, we learned a profession. For me, it was printing. During the summer, we were sent to work as laborers at a printing factory. I earned 40 rubles at that time.
How did you spend them?
With a friend, we bought shashlik; at that time, it was a delicacy. The remaining earnings I gave to my mom.
If someone told you in your youth what you would be doing now, how would you have reacted?
Most likely, I wouldn’t have understood. In Soviet times, bankers were not valuable assets in the country. Also, I didn't like people wearing ties (laughs). In my youth, I didn't think that my workplace would have a dress code where a tie would be a required attribute.
What were the most striking moments of your professional career?
It's probably my first television interview. I was 25 years old at that time. I was very nervous, and the interviewer wasn’t very friendly. In the interview, I got confused, couldn’t find the right words. But when it aired, and my family watched it, it was a very bright moment for me, a victory. For me, for our whole family. And their recognition was especially important to me because they knew better than anyone else that my actions were independent.
How is your workday structured?
About 30-40% of work time goes to regular and unscheduled meetings. Then there are personal meetings, working with documentation, checking letters, etc.
In your opinion, what is the secret to the success of your company?
I can't say we have already achieved absolute success. Currently, I orient people towards achieving success, there's still everything ahead. The existence of the bank is already a success, but I wouldn’t want us to stop our development at this point. I believe that the main success with Nurbank is still ahead.
Source: NUR.KZ