Eren Kereci, Vice President of Sales and Operations for Tecnet Asia, details his fascinating journey from Turkey as an aspiring actor to his current home in the Philippines.
Ben Blaschke: Thanks for speaking with IAG, Eren. Can you tell us a bit about your background and your memories of growing up?
Eren Kereci: I was born and raised in the southeast part of Türkiye. I finished a machinery course in high school and later studied international trade in college. I wasn’t the best student, but somehow I always managed to end up with good grades.
Growing up, I was more passionate about the arts, particularly painting and music. That artistic side never fully disappeared, and today, acting remains one of my hobbies.
While studying, I always worked in my free time to save money for my English studies abroad. I mostly worked in clothing shops and grocery stores, selling clothes and accessories for all age groups throughout my youth. I still enjoy selling goods, but not folding clothes, which gets me in trouble with my wife sometimes.
In 2014, at 21 years old, I traveled to the Philippines to study English on my own without knowing anyone there. I relied mostly on Google searches and blogs. It was also my first trip outside my country.
Adapting at first was a real challenge, but Filipinos were incredibly welcoming and helpful, which definitely influenced my decision to stay. Today I have a Filipina wife and two kids, and the Philippines has truly become my second home.
BB: What were your main interests when you were young? Did you have any dreams of what you wanted to do for a career when you grew up?
EK: I was always interested in the arts. I started painting in elementary school and later got into music during high school and college. Like most kids, I dreamed about performing on stage one day, whether as a singer or an actor.
Back in Türkiye, I actually performed live in cafés and busy streets whenever I wasn’t working at clothing shops. Later, in 2018, I did my first stage play in the Philippines. Since then I’ve appeared in several local theater productions, films and TV shows whenever I could find time away from work.
Aside from the arts, I also dreamed of becoming a pilot. Not necessarily flying commercial planes, but simply having the ability to fly. I’ve managed to accomplish the first two dreams, so flying might be next.
My career direction was really shaped during my on-the-job training (OJT) in college. While doing OJT with the Global Sales team of a yarn factory, I was exposed to a completely different world. I realized I loved the idea of closing deals much bigger than a few pieces of clothing and working with people all around the world from different cultures.
As a 20-year-old clothes seller, that felt like a huge step. I observed everything around me and wanted to be in the position of making sales by container loads.
BB: You mentioned that you came to the Philippines at just 21 years of age. What were your first impressions?
EK: I came to the Philippines in 2014 to study English, which was the first step toward my career goal of working in global trade. At the time I was both scared and excited. I didn’t know how to communicate well, and I had no one to rely on if something went wrong. But
I was also a young man alone in a completely new environment, determined to survive and learn from the experience.
I still remember one moment from my first week in the country. I bought eggs from a street vendor for breakfast, but when I cracked them open I saw embryos inside. I immediately called my mom and almost cried, telling her there were no fresh eggs in the Philippines. Later I found out it was balut, a local delicacy, and yes, they do have fresh eggs here.
Looking back now, coming to the Philippines alone at 21 was one of the most important decisions of my life.
BB: Can you run us through the various jobs and positions you have held before joining Tecnet? What skills do you think these helped you fine tune?
EK: After returning to Türkiye from my English studies, I joined the global sales team of a respected edible oil manufacturer. But my heart was still in the Philippines, so I came back shortly after.
I began importing and exporting consumer goods from Türkiye to nearby countries with a business partner in Turkiye, while managing the operations mainly from the Philippines.
Later I tried distributing a few FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) brands locally, which unfortunately failed for several reasons, but that experience taught me valuable lessons at a young age.
In 2017 I opened a restaurant that operated for over two years. After realizing it was not my niche, I moved into a completely different industry, blockchain and fintech, which was booming at the time. I handled marketing and sales for Blockchain SaaS products while learning a new sector and building a strong network with entrepreneurs and developers.
That startup company eventually closed, then I consulted to several firms on marketing before joining Accenture in 2021 during the pandemic.
At Accenture I worked on a project training machine learning models for one of the world’s largest search engines. Due to NDA restrictions
I cannot disclose the client’s name. As a Turkish linguist, I also helped develop grammar rules for Natural Language Understanding models used in the same AI system.
BB: How did the opportunity with Tecnet come about?
EK: Suat [Sirin, Tecnet’s founder and president] and I met within the Turkish community in Manila while smoking shisha and watching football games. During one of those gatherings he invited me to join Tecnet.
My first role was to support the company’s marketing, rebranding and brand positioning. While doing that I was also learning the gaming industry, the products and the technical side of the business.
Once the rebranding was completed, I gradually transitioned into sales. Things moved quickly and there was a lot to learn, but with the support of our team and Suat’s guidance I adapted fast and eventually decided to focus on sales. I must also thank Suat for giving me the freedom to experiment and learn through experience. That trust gave me the opportunity to grow and excel in my role.
BB: For those who don’t know what Tecnet does, can you tell us a bit about the company?
EK: Tecnet is essentially a one-stop shop for casino operators. We provide a wide range of gaming equipment along with technical support, training and consultancy services.
We are the official distributor of globally recognized brands such as Novomatic, Ainsworth and Apex for electronic gaming machines, Miwa locks for security solutions, PATIR seating and NRT payment solutions.
Aside from the Philippines, we have offices and active operations in Sri Lanka, Hong Kong, Seychelles, Singapore and Vietnam. Our team has the experience and capacity to turn an empty lot into a fully functioning casino operation.
BB: Can you tell us about your role with Tecnet and what a typical day in the working life of Eren Kereci looks like?
EK: At a high level, my role covers three main areas: sales, marketing and operations. On the sales side, I manage most of the process from initial proposal all the way to product delivery and maintaining client relationships. In marketing, I develop the overall strategy and oversee campaigns both for Tecnet’s corporate brand and for casino operations where Tecnet has investments.
Over the past two years I’ve also been involved in expanding Tecnet’s brand presence, and I’ve helped with strengthening our partnerships with key manufacturers and operators.
Operationally, my responsibilities have expanded as the company grows, and my role is gradually evolving toward overseeing broader operations. What started as a Marketing Manager role later became Business Development Manager, and today I serve as Vice President of Sales and Operations.
There is a lot on my plate, but with the support of our growing team across departments we manage it well.
BB: What has been the biggest challenge in moving into the gaming industry, and what do you enjoy most about it?
EK: Since I’ve worked across several very different industries, adapting to gaming itself wasn’t the hardest part. The bigger challenge was understanding the technical aspects of EGMs and casino management systems.
What fascinated me most is how the industry can feel both very big and very small at the same time. Everyone seems to know each other.
Competition between manufacturers and operators is intense, yet at networking events you often see competitors sitting at the same table, sharing stories and laughing together. That sense of community made it much easier for a newcomer like me to feel welcome.
Today, at 32 years old, I feel like I still have a long way to go, and the casino gaming industry is where I see myself continuing to grow for the rest of my career.
BB: Who would you say has been the most influential person in your life?
EK: I rarely idolize individuals or organizations, it’s simply not in my personality. Instead, I observe both the good and bad sides of people I meet and try to learn from them. But if I had to name one person, it would be Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of modern Türkiye.
What inspires me most is not only his strategic leadership but the vision he gave to a nation that had gone through immense hardship. His ability to inspire people to rebuild and move forward left a lasting impact. His principle of “Peace at home, peace in the world” is something I strongly admire. Different beliefs and worldviews can coexist peacefully.
BB: Your job no doubt requires a fair amount of travel around the world. Do you have a favorite destination, be it for work or pleasure?
EK: Locally, Boracay is definitely my favorite destination, and I’ll probably be visiting it more often as one of our projects on the island is about to launch.
Internationally, I haven’t had much time yet to travel to where some of our clients are at, but I’m looking forward to spending more time in Vietnam and Sri Lanka as our presence in those markets continues to grow.
BB: And of course with you and your CEO Suat both being Turkish, how often do you get to return home to visit?
EK: We usually return to Türkiye at least once a year. Suat and I try to alternate our schedules so one of us remains available in the office in case a quick decision needs to be made.
BB: What do you like to do outside of work to relax?
EK: Whenever I get the opportunity to perform on stage or in front of a camera, I take it. Acting allows me to express myself and explore emotions that we don’t usually experience in everyday life. It gives me emotional relief. However, I haven’t had much time for it over the past year.
These days I mostly play pickleball or football and spend weekends traveling with my family.
