Mesut Teber has worked in marine engineering and then successfully transitioned into wind energy.

In 2025, Mesut took the next step and founded TBRenergy. The company’s mission is simple:

“Adding value to blades, bringing trust to energy.”

From Sea to Sky – Success as an Engineer in Wind Energy

Background

Were you interested in technical things when you were a child? Any toys to show this?

From an early age, I was fascinated by how things worked. Growing up, I often spent hours with my father repairing things around the house.

Although I have three siblings, it was usually just my father and I who took on these tasks. Whether it was fixing a broken appliance or taking on bigger repair jobs, those moments gave me patience, problem-solving skills, and a love for hands-on work.

I was also drawn to toys that could be dismantled and rebuilt and made by myself. For example, handmade bike, Lego sets, mechanical puzzles, and anything that revealed the logic of how structures fit together. This curiosity gradually shaped my passion for engineering.

Studying Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

Why did you decide to study naval architecture and marine engineering?

When it came time to choose a field of study, several influences came together. Even though I couldn’t swim during my high school years, I was always fascinated by the immense scale of ships and had a deep admiration for the sea.

Growing up in Kocaeli, a port city, meant that maritime culture and industry were all around me. On top of this, I had a strong natural ability in mathematics, geometry, and other analytical subjects.

With all of these factors, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering at İstanbul Technical University became the natural choice.

Did family or teachers encourage you to be an engineer?

My family and teachers encouraged me throughout, seeing both my enthusiasm and my strengths in technical subjects.

Transitioning to Wind Energy

Why did you decide to transition from marine to wind energy?

My career began in the marine industry, but I soon realised I wanted to contribute to a more sustainable future. That led me to transition into wind energy, a sector where I could apply my structural and technical background to renewable energy.

Which soft and hard skills did you take with you?

I carried over both hard and soft skills as follows:

Structural and material knowledge relevant to turbine blades.

Leadership and project management experience from technical teams.

A focus on safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

In particular how did your team-leading skills develop?

In wind energy, my team-leading abilities grew significantly. Unlike smaller marine projects, wind energy often requires leading larger, more diverse, international teams. That experience taught me adaptability, cultural awareness, and the importance of training.

What advice would you give to someone else who is considering moving from another industry to wind energy?

My advice to anyone making a similar move: don’t underestimate your transferable skills. Problem-solving, leadership, and quality management are universal. Pair them with a willingness to learn turbines, and your existing expertise will become a strength.

For engineers in particular, the technical adaptation is rarely the biggest challenge. The fundamentals of design, quality, and operations are similar across industries. Once you have a solid engineering background, moving into a new sector is less about “starting over” and more about reframing what you already know.

The real barrier is often leaving your comfort zone. It takes courage to step into a new field, but when you do, you realise there’s nothing that can’t be achieved with the right mindset.

Every industry has its own language, but the underlying logic of engineering remains the same.

Typical week at TPI Composites Inc.

You started as a Field Service Leader. Can you describe what the job involved?

I began at TPI Composites working in wind energy as a Field Service Leader, responsible for organising and supervising blade repair and maintenance projects. It was a hands-on role that required both technical expertise and people management.

You managed projects in Spain and Jordan. What were the challenges of remote management in two different locations?

During this time, I worked on projects in Spain and Jordan, leading wind energy operations on-site. Being physically present allowed me to face challenges head-on, cultural differences, local working practices, and logistics, while building trust and communication across diverse teams.

Your second role was as Project Leader. What was a typical week in this role and what skills did you take from your first role?

Later, I became a Project Leader, focused on factory-based repair projects for heavily damaged blades. My responsibility was to manage the entire process, from planning to execution. This role involved building a new repair team from scratch, handling recruitment, training, and day-to-day leadership.

One highlight was creating and leading the ART – Advanced Repair Team, a dedicated group specialising in advanced blade repairs. Establishing this team was both a technical and leadership milestone in my career.

Typical week at Anatolia Wind

How big is your team in the field at Anatolia Wind?

Currently, I work as Operations & Quality Manager at Anatolia Wind, overseeing wind energy field operations, quality systems, and technical services. Depending on the project, I manage teams of 10–20 technicians, ensuring high standards of safety and performance.

How important is ongoing training for your wind turbine technicians?

Continuous training has been a cornerstone of my approach. By investing in our technicians’ development and aligning them with evolving industry standards, we have improved both efficiency and safety.

Over the last two years, our work has delivered tangible results as follows:

We tripled our business volume, significantly expanding the scope of operations.
We improved customer satisfaction, thanks to consistent quality and reliable delivery.
We grew our customer portfolio, adding major OEMs such as Enercon, Vestas, and Siemens Gamesa.
These achievements reflect not just technical expertise, but also a strong focus on people, processes, and long-term partnerships.

Work-Life Balance

How do you ensure that you have time for family and friends?

Working on the service side of the wind energy industry means constant travel, unexpected schedules, and long days on-site. Finding balance isn’t always easy, and to be honest, sometimes it feels impossible. But over time, I’ve learned that balance doesn’t have to mean splitting time equally; it’s about making the moments you have really count.

For me, family always comes first. Even during busy project periods, I make it a point to be fully present when I am home; whether it’s having dinner together, helping with daily routines, or simply spending time without distractions. Those small, ordinary moments are what recharge me the most.

How do you relax when you are not at work?

When I do get time for myself, I like simple things: walking outdoors, exploring new places with my family, playing with my kids, or just watching a movie. I’ve also kept the habit of fixing or tinkering with small things around the house which is maybe a memory from childhood with my father, but it still relaxes me.

So rather than chasing a perfect balance, I focus on keeping the right priorities in sight: family, meaningful work, and small ways to recharge. That’s what keeps me going in this demanding industry.

Looking Ahead with TBRenergy and Wind Energy

In 2025, I took the next step in wind energy and founded TBRenergy. Our mission is simple:

“Adding value to blades, bringing trust to energy.”

At TBRenergy, we focus on:

Blade inspections, damage categorisation, and failure analysis.
Development of repair plans and repair procedures.
Quality consulting for blade production and field operations.
Technical training and mentoring for engineers and technicians.

TBRenergy brings together everything I’ve learned so far from my naval architecture foundation, to field and repair projects at TPI, to expanding business and client relationships at Anatolia Wind. It’s a platform dedicated to helping companies improve blade reliability, safety, and performance in renewable energy.

For me, this journey has never been just about career progression. It’s about contributing to a sustainable future, applying experience to real challenges, and building solutions that make a difference.

Further reading

A Team of Women working in the Green Energy sector

A new life up on wind turbines in a new country