Karim Masimov was born on June 15, 1965 in Tselinograd (now Astana), Kazakhstan.
Masimov graduated from the Patrice Lumumba People's Friendship University, Moscow, in 1988. He has degrees from the Peking University and the Wuhan Language and Culture Institute, China, in 1991. He also has a degree in International Law and Economics from the Kazakh State Academy of Management (1995).
Ph.D. in Economics. His doctoral thesis was titled The Issues of Kazakhstan's Industrial Development: Theoretical Grounds and Practical Solutions (1999). Fluent in Chinese and English, speaks Arabic.
In 1991 Masimov began his career as a legal adviser at the U.S.S.R's trade mission. From 1992 he was engaged in business:
1992 - deputy director of Kazakhprigrantorg
1992 - 1993 - senior expert at the Kazakhintorg's branch in Ürümqi, China
1994 - 1995 - executive director of Kazakhstan's trading house in Hong Kong
1995 - 1997 - CEO, Commercial and Industrial Bank of Alma-Ata, now Almaty
1997 - 2000 - CEO, Halyk Savings Bank of Kazakhstan.
In August 2000, Masimov was appointed Minister of Transport and
Communications of Kazakhstan. He was Deputy Prime Minister of
Kazakhstan from 2001 until 2003, and in July 2003 he was appointed Aide
to President of Kazakhstan.
In 2000 - 2004 Masimov was chairman of boards of directors of several
leading national companies: Kazpochta, Kazakhstan Investment Fund,
Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (Kazakhstan Railways) and Kazakhtelecom; from
November 2005 - member of board of directors, Kazakhstan Development
Bank.
From January 18, 2006 Masimov was Deputy Prime Minister of Kazakhstan. He was appointed Prime Minister of Kazakhstan on January 10, 2007.
Since 1998 Masimov has been President of Kazakhstan Muaythai Federation, Vice President of the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur (IFMA), and Honorary President of the Kazakhstan Taekwon-Do Federation.
Married with three children.