Aleksandr Timchenko. We build trust in the Vertiv brand—through the team, through support, through service

Interview with Alexander Timchenko, CEO of Alpha Grissin (Kazakhstan)

The interview with Alexander concludes a series of three interviews with the owner and regional managers of the Alpha Grissin group of companies.

Having started in Greece in the early 2000s, Alpha Grissin has expanded its operations beyond Greece to countries such as Bulgaria, Ukraine, Cyprus, and more recently, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan.

Over the past five years, Alpha Grissin has expanded its business into the Central Asian region, opening offices in Tashkent and Almaty.

The office in Kazakhstan is the “youngest” in the Alpha Grissin group, having begun operations in January 2025.

This interview discusses the first months of work and the company's values.

Alexander, good afternoon. The first question doesn't take long to come up with. How did Alpha Grissin get off the ground in Kazakhstan?

Our group's strategy for entering new markets is already well-established. Trust in the Vertiv brand, which we represent, is high worldwide. And the market's trust in us begins with trust in our team's professionalism in this new market. Therefore, I am now focusing on what matters most to us – building a team and launching business processes to provide maximum opportunities.

How many specialists do you have in your company now?

We started recently, but we're growing every day, responding to new market demands. By the end of the year, we plan to have a team of ten people, half of whom are engineers. Service has been our priority from the very beginning. It's our foundation.

How did you decide to join Alpha Grissin?

I worked for almost twenty years at a major international power engineering corporation. I started as an engineer with a technical background, but then shifted my focus to marketing and sales, rising through the ranks to become the commercial director of the representative office. Last summer, I realized I wanted to develop in new technological fields and decided to leave the corporation. Then, through a series of chance encounters, recommendations, and old business contacts, I was offered the opportunity to head Alpha Grissin, a subsidiary company that was opening in Kazakhstan.

How would you define the main goal of Vertiv's first year in the Kazakhstan market? Growing sales?

Sales growth is largely a function of two key factors: the quality of our service and our partnership model. We don't sell directly to end customers, but rather through systems integrators. However, we are committed to working closely with our clients at every stage: consulting, explaining, and designing. We help them understand how the Vertiv infrastructure works as a whole and achieve maximum results.

So you support partners, but don’t take over orders for yourself?

Exactly. We support our partners. But if, for example, a customer receives a proposal from an integrator for a single component, we can step in to demonstrate the benefits of the full architecture. Not sell, but explain. Our approach is based on trust and awareness.

How do you assess Vertiv’s presence in Kazakhstan before your arrival?

The brand was on the market, but lacked the capacity for full-fledged support. We came with a clear goal: to strengthen its presence through our team, through service, and through direct communication. In complex, innovative industries, even the strongest brand needs high-quality, professional engineering and support.

And now Alpha Grissin is precisely the support link that was missing on the Kazakhstan market?

You could say that. We're creating the collaboration infrastructure that was previously lacking. This includes support, training, and maintenance. Everything you need to make working with Vertiv not just convenient, but effective.

How does the market react to you?

The market here is mature. Kazakhstan knows how to listen and doesn't like hasty promises. It's important to show that you're not just coming for a day. We don't rush anyone, we don't push anyone. We build our reputation—thoughtfully and for the long term.

Have you already built a pool of partners or are you still forming one?

We already know some of our partners, and we're currently meeting others. This process is dynamic, just like the market. The main thing is that interest in Vertiv solutions is steady, especially when it comes to large-scale solutions infrastructure.

How do you assess the market potential?

Here it is worth talking about a stable need and a new vector...

Explain...

If we're talking about stable demand, I'd estimate the Kazakhstan market at around 300 racks per year. I'm talking about standard data center racks. But that doesn't take into account the need for AI computing equipment. This is a potential area for change. AI servers require a completely different infrastructure: both cooling and power. This isn't modernization; it's new construction. If Kazakhstan focuses on developing AI, it will be a huge leap forward.

Does Kazakhstan have the potential to increase electricity production to power powerful data centers?

This isn't the only factor. Equipment cooling is crucial, especially when it comes to AI processing equipment, which requires completely different equipment and completely different cooling system requirements. A data center in northern Kazakhstan could potentially require half the cooling costs of one in Saudi Arabia or Dubai. This is, of course, a matter of the future, but that future is already here.

Alexander, let's get back to today. It wasn't me who came up with the idea that the last sentence is the most memorable. How should we end this interview?

Today, Alpha Grissin and Vertiv in Kazakhstan are more than just equipment suppliers. They provide a team and engineering support that enables us to solve even the most complex challenges. We are building a foundation that will last for years to come.

Author: Pavel Zingan

Source: pavelzingan.md