Timur Turlov elected president of the International Chess Federation

Timur Turlov has been elected as the new President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) following a second-round runoff vote at the FIDE General Assembly in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Held alongside the Chess Olympiad, the vote resulted in a victory for the Kazakh entrepreneur, who will serve a four-year term ending in 2030. Turlov ran on a joint ticket with five-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand, who will serve as Deputy President.

As the first Kazakh national to lead FIDE, Turlov’s election marks a significant milestone for the Central Asian chess movement. Turlov, the founder and CEO of the Nasdaq-listed Freedom Holding Corp., has been serving as the President of the Kazakhstan Chess Federation since 2023. His campaign platform focused on achieving a digital transformation within the organization, increasing investments in global chess development, and pursuing the ultimate goal of integrating chess into the official Olympic program. He emphasized the importance of fostering unity among member federations throughout his upcoming mandate.