[1] Kulibayev has held several positions in Kazakh state-owned enterprises that manage Kazakhstan's natural resources and has immense influence over the country's hydrocarbon industry.

[6][7][8] In 2020, the Financial Times reported that Kulibayev was involved in schemes to skim at least tens of millions of dollars from contracts that the Kazakhstani state made on pipeline construction.

[12] He defended his PhD thesis on the topic "Improving the Organizational and Economic Mechanism of Enterprise Management in Market Conditions (Using the Example of the Oil Industry)" in 1999.

[13] From 1988 to 1992, he was a junior research assistant at the Scientific-Research Economics Institute of Planning and Normative Standards (SREIP&NS) under the State Plan of Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic, and was a director of the Scientific-Consulting Center of the Fund of Cultural, Social, Scientific and Technological Development of Kazakhstan.

From 2001 to 2002, he headed CJSC National Oil and Gas Transport Company (formed on the basis of KazTransOil and KazTransGas).

He also held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors in subsidiaries of the holding: Kazatomprom (2008-2012), Kazakhstan Temir Zholy (2009-2011), Samruk-Energo (2009-2011).

[28][29] Due to the 2022 Kazakh unrest, Kulibayev and his wife Dinara lost $200 million after Halyk Bank fell 16% at the London Stock Exchange.

[38] In 2012, he took the positions of Vice President and member of the Executive Committee of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA).

[40] From 2012 to 2016, he held the position of Chairman of the Association of Legal Entities in the Confederation of Combat and Power Sports, which included the republic's federations of boxing, wrestling, weightlifting, and judo.

[21][42][43] During this period, he supervised the implementation of the Chamber's projects, regularly traveled around the country, visited enterprises, and communicated with entrepreneurs and representatives of various government bodies.

[46] From 2017 to 2019, he was a member of the Public Affairs and Social Development Through Sport Commission (PASD) of the International Olympic Committee.

[39] Kulibayev is married to Dinara Nursultanovna (née Nazarbayeva), daughter of Kazakhstan's long-time president Nursultan Nazarbayev.

[1] In 2007, Kulibayev (with the help of Kazakhstani investor Kenes Rakishev) became the owner of Sunninghill Park, a country house formerly belonging to Prince Andrew, after Sarah, Duchess of York and their daughters left the property in 2006.