Roger Wang - Engineering Manager

Roger Wang was always destined for engineering, but he became part of the energy story by accident! He tells us all about his career journey so far…

What does your role in Seaway7 involve?

I am building up the engineering team in our Taiwan office. In my role I support the project managers and the leadership team, and I am developing our engineering leaders.

How did you discover your engineering vocation?

I knew from high school that engineering was a good path for me; I always preferred more hands-on work, so mechanical engineering was my preference. It was a good choice – I enjoy working on projects that involve heavy machinery, vessels and construction. I don’t think I’d have the same enjoyment elsewhere!

My education took place in Waterloo and Toronto, so I had no connection to the energy industry. Yet it happened by chance—thanks to my wife who accepted a place at a college that she thought was Pasadena, California, but in reality it was Pasadena, Texas. I ended up moving to Pasadena in Texas and finding summer work there in the oil and gas field.

What brought you to Seaway7?

I came to Seaway7 from our parent company Subsea7 where I joined as a project engineer manager in 2013. I was promoted to Engineering Manager in 2019, then in January 2023 I joined Seaway7. I heard from a colleague about the operation in Taiwan; the organisation was building a team and looking for someone to take on the Engineering Manager role to support the growth and development of the team. I had already expressed interest in the renewables side of the business within my development review and had been keeping my eyes open for opportunities there. The support and openness of my colleagues and our management team has been the best support over my career.

What makes working at Seaway7 special for you?

Since starting work in the Taiwan office this year, the CEO and regional VP have been over to visit. It shows great support for what we’re doing and it gives the team the feeling that the organisation believes in us. That genuine investment of time across all levels of the business is a good message to the people who work here – it gives a sense of permanence beyond the project. We are here to grow!

What has surprised you about your own career journey here?

The genuine way that the company approaches opportunities and development for its people. Even if you want a complete change of job function, the company offers both career variation and progression.

Other companies I have worked for often advertised their career development opportunities, but rarely delivered. Whereas here, we genuinely take people’s development seriously.

Also, I never imagined that 36 years after leaving Taiwan, I would have the opportunity to work in the country I was born in and to contribute to its green energy future!

How have your experiences shaped your outlook?

In my current role, I’m developing opportunities for the future. I hope that in a few years, we will be able to look back together and be proud of what we’ve achieved in Taiwan.

I think it’s funny to look back and think how differently things may have been if my wife had realised earlier that we weren’t moving to Pasadena in California! I may never have found my way to the energy sector at all.

You never know what journey your life will take you on, and which decisions will be the ones to shape it, so you have to be ready to roll with what comes and grab opportunities when you see them!