Capt. Mehmet Cengiz EKREN graduated from Naval Academy in 1995.

He began to serve onboard TCG ALBATROS in 1995 as Second Engineer. From 1997 to 2006, he assumed a variety of duties respectively as 2^nd Engineer and Chief Engineer onboard TCG TAYFUN, TCG AB-35, TCSG-68, TCG ŞİMŞEK, TCG KALKAN and TCG İMBAT.

Between 2006-2012 he assumed following posts of Turkish Naval Forces:

• Mersin Military Repair Yard Command as Repair and Maintenance Planning Officer,
• Naval Inventory Control Center as Inventory Management Branch Head for FPBs,
• YILDIZLAR Naval Surface Training Center as Team Leader for Naval Machinery and Fire Fighting Trainings of FPBs,
• Turkish Fleet Command Headquarters Repairs and Maintenance Planning Officer for FPBs,
• Turkish Fleet Command Headquarters Naval Surface, Subsurface and Naval Air Assets Repairs Branch Head.

His following NATO deployments include;

• TAAC-Capital LNO to NATO Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan/Kabil (2016-2017),
• Assistant Chief of Staff Plans and Policy (ACOS J5) in Naval Strike and Support Forces to NATO (STRIKFORNATO) in Lisbon-Portugal (2017-2020).

After his return, he was assigned as Turkish Naval Forces HQs as Director of Strategy Department for three years (2020-2023). His last assignment was the Director of MARSECCOE in July 2023.

He has a Master of Science (MSc) degree in Maritime Transportation Engineering (Naval Machinery) and he also continues PhD studies on Maritime Security in İstanbul Technical University as PhD Student. He has various NATO Training and Education Certifications as well as PRINCE2 practitioner certificate in Project Management.

His decorations include a NATO Medal for the Resolute Support Mission.

He is married to Mrs. Sabina EKREN and has a son Eldan. He speaks working level English, intermediate level French, German and elementary level Portuguese.