A Career in Quality Assurance at Gebze Plant, Mondelēz Türkiye

Tuesday, November 4, 2025

How did you start your career at Mondelēz International Türkiye, Gebze Plant?

I started my career at Gebze Plant in 2018 as a Quality Assurance Engineer. Throughout this journey, I had the chance to take on different responsibilities and HACCP/Sanitation Coordinator roles, which allowed me to gain comprehensive experience and build a strong foundation across all aspects of Mondelēz Quality and Food Safety system.

In 2024, I was appointed as Quality Assurance Manager. Since then, I have focused on strengthening cross-functional collaboration, fostering teamwork, and embedding a strong quality culture across the Plant. This role has also allowed me to enhance my leadership skills and further develop myself in different areas, both professionally and personally.

What attracted you to Mondelēz International, and is your experience aligned with your expectations?

Ever since my childhood, I’ve always been passionate about snacking. After graduating from university as a Food Engineer, it was my dream to work for a company whose products I’ve enjoyed many years, and that dream came true with Mondelēz International. The company’s strong global presence, focus on quality, and consumer-inspired culture perfectly matched my expectations and allowed me to grow both professionally and personally. Over the years, my experience has fully aligned with and even exceeded these expectations.

What skills have been crucial for your career advancement in Quality Assurance?

Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving, and attention to detail have been essential for my career advancement in Quality Assurance. Beyond technical expertise, I believe effective communication and the ability to collaborate across functions are equally critical. Today, in my current role, I focus on empowering and motivating my team, strengthening teamwork, and building a culture where quality and continuous improvement are part of everything we do.

What is unique about working at the Gebze plant, and how does the plant environment contribute to your team’s success?

The Gebze Plant is unique for its dynamic operations, producing gum, candy, and chocolate for multiple countries. As one of the most complex Mondelēz Plants, it offers an excellent environment for learning and gaining valuable experience for everyone. This dynamic structure provides daily opportunities for collaboration, teamwork, and personal growth. A ‘One Team’ approach and supportive leadership creates a motivating environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute. This culture of shared ownership drives both job satisfaction and collective success.

How has leadership at Mondelēz fostered your professional growth as a Quality Assurance Manager, and can you share examples of how their support contributed to your career advancement?

Throughout my journey at Mondelēz, leadership has been a key driver of my professional growth – supporting learning, empowerment, and ownership.

They’ve always given me both guidance and trust, which helped me to take initiative and lead key quality and food safety projects with confidence. The daily experiences and challenges I’ve faced have also played a big part in my development - helping me strengthen my problem-solving, communication, and decision-making skills. Working within the IL6S framework and environment has also broadened my perspective. Growth mindset culture has inspired me to push boundaries, explore new areas, and continuously enhance my leadership capabilities.

What advice would you give to current Quality Assurance professionals who aspire to move into management roles, based on your own career path?

My advice would be to stay curious, be proactive, and never lose sight of the bigger picture – how quality connects with business goals and consumer trust. Deep technical knowledge is essential, but working in Quality also requires strong collaboration, adaptability, and the courage to challenge and improve the systems. Building cross-functional relationships and a strong quality culture across the teams makes a real difference. And most importantly, love what you do and let that passion show – it inspires everyone around you.