[5] President Nursultan Nazarbayev replaced Tasmagambetov with Pavlodar Region Akim Daniyal Akhmetov on 13 June 2003.

In 1979, he graduated from the natural-geographical faculty of the West Kazakhstan State University, specializing in "teacher of geography and biology."

[8] Tasmagambetov began his career in 1973 as a boxing and wrestling trainer at a Children's and Youth Sports School in the village of Makhambet.

[8] On 18 February 1999, Tasmagambetov was appointed as the akim of Atyrau Region and from 17 December 2000, he served as the Deputy Prime Minister in the 4th government.

[11][12] On 28 January 2002, Tasmagambetov was nominated as the Prime Minister of Kazakhstan by President Nursultan Nazarbayev, who was unanimously approved by the Parliament.

[21] On 3 February 2017, Tasmagambetov became an Ambassador of Kazakhstan to Russia to where he presented his credentials to Russian President Vladimir Putin on 16 March 2017.

[3][22] His sudden appointment to the position led to suspicions that Nazarbayev felt politically threatened by his ally, as the move rendered Tasmagambetov constitutionally prohibited from running for President.

[23] He served in the role until 18 December 2019, when by the decree of President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, Tasmagambetov was removed from his post, dismissed from public service and sent to a retirement pension.

[24][25] On 1 January 2023, Imangali Tasmagambetov started his term as the Secretary General of the CSTO, replacing Belarusian Stanislav Zas and making him the first Kazakhstani person to hold the title.