From Aviation to Astrophotography

In the fast-paced world of aviation, our Commercial Aerospace marketing and sales teams continuously work to ensure that our solutions and engineering capabilities stay at the forefront of customers’ minds.

Lucas Mesquita, Director of Marketing and Sales at ST Engineering's San Antonio Aerospace (SAA) leads the way in conveying SAA’s value propositions to customers and partners in the Americas. He offers insights on finding and creating growth opportunities both externally and within SAA.

Hailing from Brazil, joining ST Engineering in Mobile, U.S., and transferring to San Antonio where SAA is at – could you briefly summarise your well-travelled career journey for us?

In Brazil, my native country, aviation is a major industry. Growing up with a sense of pride in our people’s history and contributions to aviation, it was clear that if I wanted to work in an industry with global reach, aviation would be a prime opportunity to do so.

Given these pull factors, when I came across an opportunity to work at ST Engineering’s aerospace facility in Mobile, I knew it was the right fit to align my career path to. After three years, in search of new opportunities and exposure, I opted to transfer to SAA, where I have been since 2011. With ST Engineering’s support, I was able to not only expand my horizons, but also enroll at a major university here to pursue my MBA. I also appreciate that San Antonio’s vibrant city life keeps our family engaged.

How has the company contributed to your career growth?

At SAA, I’ve benefitted from opportunities to take on more leadership roles over the years, while the challenging nature of the aerospace industry and the rich diversity of colleagues and clients worldwide keeps me driven professionally. ST Engineering has also helped to sponsor my participation in professional training courses to upgrade my selling and negotiating skills.

I am looking forward to greater knowledge and process sharing among the various business units within ST Engineering. While I feel that the Group is already heading in this direction, I believe there is still potential for closer alignment and synergy.

SAA’s open-door policy allows every employee direct access to senior management. We also have a culture of idea-sharing and feedback. Such an environment fosters innovation and inclusivity, something I contribute to when I solicit (and also welcome unsolicited) feedback from my team, who eagerly reciprocate by bringing up suggestions or concerns regarding a variety of business matters. Our high level of engagement allows everyone to actively contribute and pitch opportunities for improvement, thus creating a sense of ownership within the team.

I am also a firm supporter of increasing women leadership and representation by stepping up recruitment of women in traditionally male-dominated industries. To encourage young girls and women to enter these fields, we need to build their confidence and promote inclusive environments that foster growth. Greater representation naturally leads to more leadership roles for women; this is something we also practice in our Marketing and Sales department.

Given your experience, what advice would you like to share with ST Engineering’s budding marketing and sales professionals?

In Marketing and Sales, it is important to build consensus with both customers and internal stakeholders. Building consensus starts with listening well to identify their pain points, but this is not enough – it must pave the way for change through follow-up actions.

In our roles, we also seek opportunities to bring value to the relationship between the customer and ST Engineering. These can be through finding solutions for current needs or discovering new ways to support the customer through Commercial Aerospace’s suite of services. My perspective as the “voice of the customer” to internal stakeholders also allows me to share valuable feedback that can improve our services.

How do you like to spend your time outside of work?

I’ve recently picked up stargazing as a hobby. About a year ago, I got a telescope for Christmas with the intention to encourage my kids’ curiosity towards aerospace. The experience of seeing the Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, and other deep space bodies with the family was extremely enjoyable and I have since become deeply immersed in the activity.

Through the telescope, incredible details such as the craters on the surface of the Moon can be seen. On a good night, the distinctive “great red spot” of Jupiter as well as the planet’s many moons can be seen, with the visible limit stretching as far as the magnificent rings of Saturn. To capture these moments for posterity, I am also delving into astrophotography.

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