Global leadership

Alexander Zaytsev is the Co-Founder of Raison. He began his journey with the company at its very inception in 2014, spearheading the development of its first regulated entity — Threesixty Elements S.A. This company was later merged with other entities within the Raison ecosystem and renamed Raison Asset Management, becoming a core part of the group’s operations.

Alexander has a strong and diverse background in finance and investment. His career started in 2008 as a Client Relationship Manager at FINAM. In 2009, he held roles as an Analyst at the Institute for Regional Policy and as Head of Research & Advisory Practice at Group BNC. In 2010, he served as Chief Expert in Corporate Governance and Corporate Finance at the Federal State Enterprise Scientific Institute PEM. From 2016 to 2021, he led the Financial Management Department at the Venture Financing Centre.

He holds a Master’s degree in Management from the International University (IUM), where he also pursued PhD preparation in Economics. Alexander earned a Postgraduate Diploma in Investments from the Higher School of Economics (State Academy of Specialists in the Investment Sphere) and completed the Financial Markets course at Yale University (CT, USA) with honours. He is a certified professional in the securities industry for Broker and Dealer Activity and a Securities Management Specialist.

Andrei Berezin is the Co-Founder of Raison, having played a key role in establishing the company alongside Alexander Zaytsev. In 2014, he was appointed Managing Director of Threesixty Elements S.A., the first regulated entity of what would later become the Raison Group.

Andrei has extensive experience in the financial sector. He began his career in 2011 as an Investment Manager at a private Real Estate Fund. In 2014, he became Chief Investment Officer of the Element US IPO I Fund. By 2017, he took on the role of Chief Financial Officer at Raison and also served as Director at one of Raison's funds — RAM Data Technologies PIF. From 2023, he has focused on developing the brokerage arm of Raison in Kazakhstan — Raison Securities Limited — as CEO.

Andrei holds a Bachelor’s degree in Economics and Management from the Moscow State Mining University (MSMU). He continued his education at MSMU and completed a Master of Science in the same field. He is a certified professional in the securities industry for Broker and Dealer Activity and a Securities Management Specialist.

Nikolay Kondratov is the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Raison, bringing over 18 years of leadership in the IT and software development industry. He joined the company in 2017 as Global Head of IT Services & Development and was later promoted to CTO, playing a central role in scaling Raison’s digital infrastructure and secure investment technologies.

Nikolay began his career in 2008 at Mail.Ru LLC, where he led the Mail Development Team and contributed to the company’s growth into one of Russia’s largest digital platforms. In 2012, he became Chief Technology Officer at NetBox, focusing on platform architecture and high-load systems.

He holds a PhD in Computer Science from the prestigious Bauman Moscow State Technical University. Nikolay combines deep academic expertise with practical execution in full-stack development, cybersecurity, cloud architecture, and scalable tech product design.

Elena Romanova is the Chief Customer Officer at Raison, bringing over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. She began her career in 2009 at SMP Bank, where she served as Head of Retail Operations until 2015. Following that, she joined Threesixty Elements S.A. — the foundational entity of what later became the Raison Group — as Chief Compliance Officer, a position she held until 2017.

Since 2017, Elena has been a key leader at Raison, responsible for customer operations, client success, and user-facing compliance initiatives. Her deep understanding of regulatory practices, customer service, and operational strategy plays a central role in maintaining the company’s high standards of client trust and transparency.

Elena holds a Master’s degree in Business and Managerial Economics from the National Business Institute. She has also completed a number of professional certifications through the National Securities Market Association, including the Basic Course for Securities Market Professionals, as well as specialized training in Anti-Money Laundering, Broker/Dealer Activity, and Securities Management Specialist.

Ida Polak is the Chief Legal Officer at Raison, with over a decade of experience in legal practice, corporate structuring, and international compliance. She has a proven track record in advising global clients, supporting business operations, and managing legal strategy across multiple jurisdictions.

Ida began her professional career in 2009 as a Recruiter at Greenpeace, followed by a role as Office Manager at Medina-Universe LLC in 2011. In 2014, she transitioned to legal practice with an internship at Cliff Legal Service. From 2015, she held a progressive series of legal positions — Junior Lawyer, Consultant, and Senior Lawyer — at INFINITY GROUP and also interned at Shatters Ltd. that same year.

Between 2018 and 2021, Ida served as Lead Legal Counsel at GSL Law and Consulting, working on cross-border transactions, international tax structuring, and regulatory advisory. Since 2021, she has led the legal function at Raison, where she provides strategic guidance to executive leadership on legal structuring, compliance frameworks, and global business expansion.

Ida holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in International Civil and Commercial Law from Leiden University, a Specialist Degree in International Private Law from Kutafin Moscow State Law University, and has completed advanced training in legal translation and professional English communication. She also participated in the WIPO Summer School on Intellectual Property and undertook additional legal studies at Saint Petersburg State University.

Andrey Afanasyev began providing outsourcing consulting services to Raison in 2020 and officially joined the company in 2021 as Deputy CFO, with a focus on refining financial management and strategic functions. Since 2023, he has been promoted to oversee all financial operations across the Group and was appointed CFO of Raison Securities.

Andrey is a seasoned executive with over 20 years of experience in financial, operational, and strategic management across multiple industries and global markets. He is a trusted advisor to growing and transforming companies, bringing deep expertise in business recovery, international expansion, and performance improvement.

Andrey is the founder of WeRBackOffice, where he served as a fractional CFO and business advisor, supporting clients through complex financial restructuring and scalable growth. His portfolio includes successful collaborations with international software startups, industrial ventures, educational institutions, and high-net-worth family offices.

Prior to founding his advisory firm, Andrey held senior leadership positions at the International School of Moscow, Drofa Publishers, and a private HNW Family Office, where he led financial and operational strategy across global assets.

Andrey holds an MBA from Lomonosov Moscow State University and a degree in Economics from the Russian State Social University, complementing his extensive international hands-on management experience.

Aray Ospanova is a Deputy Chief Compliance Officer at Raison and Chief Compliance Officer and MLRO at Raison Securities, with a multidisciplinary background and over a decade of experience in compliance, HR governance, policy development, and strategic management across public and private institutions. Aray became part of Raison in late 2022, prior to launching the broker/dealer in Kazakhstan. In 2023, she headed the non-commercial organization - Compliance Hub Community, reinforcing her commitment to transparency, regulatory excellence, and responsible finance.

Aray began her career in 2011 at Food Contract Corporation JSC, where she supported the CEO and coordinated business development activities. In 2014, she became Project Manager at DARYN Partners, overseeing a wide range of initiatives. In 2017, Aray joined the Astana International Financial Centre (AIFC) as a Human Resources Manager, where she contributed to the creation of the center’s employment framework. She advanced to Senior HR Manager and later to Head of the HR Division, playing a central role in HR strategy, regulatory compliance, and the development of internal employment policies, including amendments to the AIFC Employment Regulations.

In her role as Head of the Internal Policy Division, she established AIFC’s internal policy architecture, introduced policy taxonomies, and implemented a centralized database for organizational governance. In 2022, Aray joined the Kazakhstan Central Securities Depository (KCSD) as a Senior Manager in Strategy and Development, where she led work on the ESG-aligned Sustainable Development Policy and contributed to KYC and information disclosure standards.

Aray holds a degree in Law from L.N. Gumilyov Eurasian National University and completed additional executive education at the Moscow School of Management SKOLKOVO. She is also certified in international compliance practices, including Sanctions Compliance from the Association of Certified Sanctions Specialists, Certified Global Sanctions Specialist (CGSS), Compliance & Ethics (AIFC), and AML & CFT Frameworks – regulatory courses completed via AIFC and professional hubs.

Dmitry Protasov is the Chief Software Architect at Raison, with over 15 years of experience in backend development, systems engineering, and high-performance software architecture. He plays a strategic role in defining the technological vision and leading the development of Raison’s core infrastructure and digital products.

Dmitry began his career in 2007 as an SEO Tools Developer at RBS, then worked as a .Net Core Developer at RZD from 2009 to 2010. In 2011, he joined Wikimart as a PHP Developer, contributing to large-scale e-commerce backend systems. From 2012 to 2018, he held the position of Lead PHP Backend Developer at Netbox, where he led backend architecture initiatives and performance optimization projects.

Since 2018, Dmitry has been part of Raison, where, as Chief Software Architect, he leads platform design, system integration, and architectural decision-making across all products. His work ensures scalability, resilience, and long-term flexibility of the company’s technology stack.

Dmitry holds a Bachelor of Engineering in Enterprise Automation and a Master’s degree in Engineering & Technology with a focus on Metrology, Standardization, and Certification, both from Tambov State Technical University (TSTU).

Alma Isimova is the Business Development Officer for Central Asia and the Middle East at Raison, with over 10 years of experience in banking, investment advisory, and client relationship management. She joined Raison in 2023 as an Investment Advisor, was quickly promoted to Head of Sales, and in 2024 assumed her current role, where she leads strategic development and client engagement across key markets in the region.

Alma began her career in 2012 at DB JSC Home Credit Bank, then held Personal Services Manager positions at Sberbank Kazakhstan and Toyota Financial Services, focusing on VIP clients and financial product consulting. In 2019, she joined Freedom Finance, where she spent over three years driving client acquisition and promoting a culture of investing in securities.

At Raison, Alma combines her deep knowledge of financial markets with a client-first mindset. She is responsible for expanding business partnerships, onboarding key accounts, and building long-term relationships across Central Asia and the Middle East. Alma holds a university degree and has received professional training in AML, CRM, sales, negotiations, and financial product education.

Oxana Raim is the GM of Raison Wealth and Business Development Officer for Europe at Raison, where she leads the company’s private wealth platform, designed to connect high-net-worth individuals with curated investment opportunities, community, and strategic dialogue. She assumed this role in autumn 2024, following her earlier appointment as BDO Europe.

Oxana has worked at the intersection of venture capital, communications, and investor relations for over 14 years. She began her career in 2009 in marketing and digital media, later co-founding a communications consultancy, which evolved into a venture studio launching several startups. From 2020 to 2023, she served as Managing Director and Executive Partner at ICLUB Global (by TA Ventures), where she built the most active angel investor communities in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.

She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism, Marketing, and Applied Communication from the University of International Business in Kazakhstan. Fluent in Kazakh, Russian, and English, she is also proficient in Spanish.

Timur Utebalinov is the Head of Safekeeping & Settlement Division at Raison, with a strong background in finance, investment operations, and institutional audit. He brings a unique combination of Big Four experience and operational expertise in asset servicing, financial reporting, and regulatory compliance.

Timur holds a degree in Finance from Suleyman Demirel University and completed an international academic exchange at Eastern Mediterranean University, where all studies were conducted in English. This international education provided him with a global perspective on financial markets and operational standards.

He began his career at Ernst & Young in 2022, one of the Big Four firms, as an Audit Specialist in the Global Financial Sector, gaining exposure to diverse financial institutions, including banks, insurance companies, broker-dealers, and microfinance organizations. He then joined BCC Invest JCS (Kazakhstan) as a Specialist in the Department of Internal Support, managing asset operations, preparing regulatory reports, and implementing accounting system improvements. His initiative and impact were formally recognized when he was named Most Proactive Employee by the Chairman of the Board.

Timur joined Raison as a Settlements & Custody Associate, where he quickly proved himself through operational efficiency and a deep understanding of back-office processes. Within a short time, he was promoted to Interim Head of Safekeeping & Settlement Division, and by the end of 2024, he formally assumed the role of division head. Under his leadership, the division ensures the accurate execution and safekeeping of client assets across multiple jurisdictions, while maintaining the highest standards of compliance and infrastructure security.