We are building a better world through entrepreneurship

Founding CEO

Dirk Bischof

Dirk is the founder of Hatch Enterprise, which started in 2013. He’s been following his passion to build responsible businesses since 2004 where he’s worked on over 50 projects across the UK and Europe, focusing on sustainability, vocational training and entrepreneurship. Dirk helped set-up a number of social enterprises and a commercial Solar PV company. He’s passionate about enterprise and helping people get their ventures off the ground.

He managed to get through a BSc in Social Anthropology with Business Studies and completed his Masters in Social Anthropology (Goldsmiths). He’s interested in understanding the gift vs contract culture and organisational anthropology. A cyclist commuter by heart, he loves it so much that he’s done a few 1000 mile charity rides around England and Japan.

Communications and IT manager

Adam Koroma

Adam specialises in multimedia design, from websites to booklets, from films to photography. He has a penchant for combining multiple types of media to achieve his end goals and he’s always looking for new challenges to aid him in expanding his skill-set.

Head of Corporate Partnerships

Deryl Thatcher

Deryl joins Hatch with a background in CSR, working in partnership with City and Canary Wharf companies to provide meaningful volunteering opportunities for their staff particularly supporting students and young people.  Deryl is also a freelance coach with a focus on women changing or developing their career.  She is a keen cyclist, loves playing pool, Scrabble and – true to her NZ roots – can disappear with a backpack for a day or two to explore new places.

Head of Finance

Nasrat Sayyad

Nasrat joined Hatch in Nov 2020 and has been our Head of Finance since April 2023. Nasrat has a Master’s degree in Commerce and brings extensive experience in strategic operations and management across the finance function. At Hatch, Nasrat is responsible for overseeing financial operations and developing strategic plans to support Hatch’s growth and long-term financial sustainability.

Nasrat is a keen advocate of diversity and inclusion and has a proven dedication and commitment to the charity and not-for-profit sector.

Head of Marketing and Communications

Bevis Man

Bevis joins Hatch with more than 15 years of experience working in communications, PR and marketing in the third sector. Over that time he has worked for international development charity VSO, and several health and research charities, including the NHS’s Imperial Health Charity and national bone and soft tissue charity Sarcoma UK. He has grown and developed communications teams and is a passionate believer in the power of communications in all its guises to do some good in the world.

He is a keen runner and yogi, a music hoarder, and loves nothing more than being surrounded by trees, hills and mountains.

Head of Programmes

Meredith Greey

Meredith has more than a decade of experience in the non-profit sector, working with organisations including NSPCC and Alzheimer’s Society on corporate partnerships and programmes and later leading Childhood Cancer Canada as Acting CEO. She transitioned into strategy while completing her Masters in Business at the University of Manchester and is passionate about optimizing programme design and customer experience.

Canadian-born and still a camp counsellor at heart, Meredith believes we take strength from community. She’s thrilled to be helping entrepreneurs build their own support networks and drive meaningful change.

Acting Co-Head of Programmes

Cecília Veríssimo

After finishing her MA in Africa and Development, Cecilia joined one of Brighton’s largest independent coworking spaces, and together with the Creative Team, helped plan, produce and manage the whole range of virtual and in-person events – from member-focused, business development to community engaging events.

She is now committed to being part of a team dedicated to structural change in the entrepreneurial world, committed to listening and understanding underrepresented founders and entrepreneurs and their needs, and to continuously innovate and provide a tailored experience.

In her spare time, Cecilia loves doing Kickboxing and travelling to new places, meeting new people and trying out new food.

Managing Director

Rebekah Capon

Rebekah is delighted to join Hatch as Director of Fundraising and Partnerships. She brings with her almost 20 years of experience in the non-profit sector, and nearly a decade of leading fundraising teams in the International Development sector. Most recently, having worked for World Vision, a large international children’s charity and Mercy Ships, a charity that is improving access to safe, affordable and timely surgical care in West Africa. 

Rebekah is looking forward to building meaningful relationships with current and future Hatch supporters. She is excited to help them achieve their philanthropic and CSR  missions through their engagement with Hatch and our amazing business founders. Rebekah enjoys giving supporters the best and most enriching experience possible and strives to demonstrate how their support makes a lasting impact. 

Rebekah is passionate about equality and the power of opportunity and is a Trustee of Talent Trust, a charity that provides educational support and daily meals to children in the Philippines. She also volunteers for a local charity, Lasting Memories Charitable Trust, which supports people who are affected by cancer. 

Rebekah loves to spend time with family and friends, eat good food, and likes to dabble in a bit of running. Her happy place is on a sunny beach!

People and Operations Manager (Interim)

Pia Zicchi

Pia joined in November 2021. Coming from a background in the performing arts and wider arts culture sector, Pia brings a creative approach to her work and to our team. She is passionate about equality, diversity and inclusion and is excited by Hatch’s ethos and aims.

Outside of work, Pia enjoys exercising (whether that’s doing a home workout, heading to the dance studio, or going for a long walk), visiting new places in the U.K. and abroad, trying new food/restaurants, theme parks, spending time with friends and family and is an animal lover.

PR and Communications Manager

Emily Hill

Emily joined Hatch as PR and Communications Manager in January 2022 bringing experience in establishing and growing an impactful communications department from her last role at a homelessness charity in Cornwall.

She has a keen interest in promoting sustainable entrepreneurship which was developed during her time volunteering on a Raleigh International ICS livelihoods programme in Tanzania, and is passionate about telling the stories of those who are often not given a platform.

She is a very amateur hockey player, aspirational rock climber, and enjoys volunteering through Girlguiding. 

Head of Philanthropy

Rosie Pannell 

Rosie joined Hatch Enterprise as Head of Philanthropy in 2022, having previously worked in a variety of fundraising roles across the arts and charity sectors. She is committed to building meaningful relationships with trusts, foundations and individuals that share Hatch’s vision to create a more inclusive society through entrepreneurship. Outside of work, Rosie loves to go to the theatre, spend time with friends, enjoy good food and wine, and explore the Hertfordshire countryside with her husband, Matt, and Corgi, Cheddar.

Events Manager

Sosina Binyam

Sosina is the Event Coordinator at Hatch. She is an International Development graduate with a background in the charity and non-profit sector. She’s passionate about promoting equal access to opportunities and supporting underrepresented groups. She’s excited to use her creativity and entrepreneurial experience to support Hatch’s community of founders.

Outside of Hatch, Sosina is the co-founder of Hope and Unity, a non-profit organisation that supports vulnerable and minority communities to get access to information and services. She is also an artist and has founded her art business called Sxss Collection.

Community Programme Manager

Naomi Nathan

Naomi comes from a theatre and higher education background, having worked with students, young people, and those at the beginning of their careers to find their potential, develop their skills and successfully take their first steps into the professional world. Naomi is passionate about community, relationship building, and providing opportunity in order to facilitate social mobility.

She has a love for food (both cooking and eating), musicals, and literature.

Acting Co-Head of Programmes

Mellissa Morgan

Mellissa joined Hatch in February 2022 as Programme Manager for Launchpads and Hackathons. Having founded the UK’s first vegan bakery Ms. Cupcake back in 2010, she fully understands the ever-changing life of a startup entrepreneur! 

Through Ms. Cupcake, Mellissa has been a keynote speaker, written cookbooks (Ms. Cupcake: The Naughtiest Vegan Cakes in Town was published by Random House) and has taught master classes at events around the world. Having begun her career in the creative and education sectors, she is excited to now be supporting underrepresented entrepreneurs to grow their businesses and communities. 

Mellissa loves going to the theatre, singing karaoke, and playing board games (slightly too competitively).

Community Engagement Manager

Iulia Costinescu

Iulia is passionate about human creativity and technology and using the power of technology to make lives easier and improve inequality. She did a Law degree and a Masters in the Creative Industries where she was inspired by entrepreneurship, generating ideas, pitching (for 2 different social impact business ideas) and understanding the startup ecosystem.

After 8 years of supporting businesses, social enterprises and higher education institutions through events and project management, she took a leap of faith and launched her own business in the summer of 2020 enabling ethical and impact-driven companies work more efficiently and with less overwhelm through marketing and tech support.

In her spare time, she enjoys outdoor walks in the Oxfordshire countryside, spending time at her allotment, dancing, exploring, and watching Gilmore Girls.

Cohort Programme Manager

Tiany Saliba

Tiany is one of the Cohort Programme Managers at Hatch. She helps to design content and deliver programmes for founders at all stages of their business journey. She loves being part of an amazing team who are working together to drive social change and rebalance opportunity for deserving founders.

Outside of Hatch, Tiany is a jeweller and ceramicist. She is also in the process of creating a collective called POUR, a mixture of creatives who host free or low-cost craft workshops to young people who are experiencing or have experienced some variation of trauma or bereavement, with focus on wellbeing and therapy.

She loves to cook, try new foods, swim, kayak, and watch a healthy mix of documentaries + trashy 2000s films. Being in her studio, listening to music and making something out of metal or clay is one of her happiest places.

People and Operations Manager (Interim)

Jessica Agyeman

Jessica is the Executive Assistant and Office Manager at Hatch. After graduating in PR and communications, she spent her early career working within operations in the beauty industry. She came to Hatch looking to be part of an organisation with a passion and purpose she truly aligns with and believes in.

Outside of work, Jessica enjoys socialising with friends, cooking and trying new dishes; she also has a keen interest in all things beauty.

Cohort Programme Coordinator

Shari Lawrence-Willis

Shari is the Incubator Programme Coordinator at Hatch, supporting founders to take their businesses to the next level. She holds a bachelors degree from Warwick Business School and has a background in digital marketing, tech and operations.

She is enthusiastic about all things entrepreneurship, and is motivated by helping others to maximise their potential, grow in confidence and excel in achieving their goals.

Outside of work, she is passionate about fitness and wellbeing, enjoys playing the piano and loves exploring the world of fashion.

Digital Communications & Visual Content Manager

Jess Stillwell

Jess is the Social Media officer for Hatch, joining in July 2022 after graduating from Leeds Arts University in Fine Art and stumbling into marketing through passion for video making, photography and working with various charities across Leeds. She has brought her experience in the creative sector together with strong beliefs in creating powerful communities, resulting in a drive for telling the stories of others through visual communications. She believes strongly in the positive powers of social media to uplift underrepresented business founders across the UK and promote more easily accessible knowledge online.

In her spare time Jess is a lover of good food, good films and good music. She also spends her time dabbling in graphic design and taking on her own creative passion projects such as photography series and magazine making.

Cohort Programme Coordinator

Lia Deans

Lia is the Accelerator Programme Coordinator at Hatch and holds a bachelor’s degree in Drama & Theatre Arts from Goldsmiths, University of London. She’s passionate about community based work and is excited to work with Founders helping them to reach the next stage in their business.

Outside of Hatch, Lia is the co-founder of Beloved Theatre Company, created with her best friend after graduating university. Beloved Theatre focuses on amplifying Black culture, tradition and stories on stage whilst also creating pathways for underrepresented groups to enter the arts industry and equipping them with skills they can take throughout life both within and outside of the industry. 

An avid lover of food, music and pretty much anything creative – you can usually find Lia at her happiest somewhere in the sun pursuing a new hobby.

Director of Finance

Matthew Brookes

Matt joined Hatch as Finance Director in April 2023 after a financial and management career in the commercial sector – including at PricewaterhouseCoopers, Disney & Hasbro – and a lifetime of volunteering with charities. He is a qualified chartered accountant, a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England & Wales, has an Executive MBA from London Business School and a Postgraduate Diploma in Charity Accounting & Financial Management from Cass (now Bayes) Business School. Matt is the Treasurer and trustee at Creative Futures; a multi-arts charity which offers transformative experiences to children, young people and families, especially those from disadvantaged neighbourhoods, through inspiring creative programmes.,

Matt started volunteering at Hatch in 2018 and has been a lay member of its Finance Committee since 2021. Having been fortune to benefit from multiple role models and opportunities during his life and career, he understands that talent is equally distributed but opportunities are not and that entrepreneurs are a foundation of our society and economy. Matt is inspired by Hatch’s mission to support underrepresented founders and keen to utilise his experience to ensure its financial sustainability and continued growth.

Head of People and Operations

Anna Moran

Anna has a background in HR, operations, learning programme design and volunteer management. She is an entrepreneur at heart having co-founded a social enterprise which supported social entrepreneurs to solve business challenges in Sri Lanka, Brazil and India – where she lived and worked for 3 years. Anna has also previously worked on designing and delivering learning programmes and setting up support programmes for entrepreneurs which is why she is extremely passionate about the work Hatch. 

In her spare time Anna loves to spend time planning adventures, travelling, yoga, dancing, conscious festivals and trying new experiences, workshops and practices to evolve herself.

Finance Manager

Joseph Tam

Joseph joined Hatch in January 2024. Originating from Hong Kong, he brings a wealth of experience and expertise to the team. Joseph holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance, coupled with a Master’s degree in Marketing Innovation and Strategy. His multifaceted skill set encompasses financial operations, strategic planning, and proficiency in management and business strategy. With a robust background spanning seven years in the finance function, Joseph has contributed his financial acumen to various industries. Noteworthy experiences include his involvement with Oxwash, a sustainability-focused laundry and dry-cleaning startup, and Eat Chay, a plant-based food brand committed to quality, ethics, and sustainability.

A testament to Joseph’s entrepreneurial spirit is his founding of Eat Chay with an initial investment of £5000, ultimately achieving an impressive £1 million in revenue by the third year. This accomplishment garnered recognition from reputable publications such as TimeOut, Metro, and Evening Standards. When not crunching numbers, Joseph loves football, enjoys exploring diverse culinary experiences, and finds solace in hiking with his canine companions, Otter and Ozzy.

Head of People and Operations (maternity cover)

Suzi Lawrence

Suzi joined Hatch in February 2024 as the Head of People and Operations (maternity cover).
With a background in talent acquisition, employee engagement, learning & development and resource planning Suzi loves solving people puzzles and bringing out the best in people.

Suzi comes from a PR and communications background, most recently managing the HR and Talent function in a PR agency. She has extensive experience in building and developing partnerships with teams, workload management and resource planning. She is passionate about finding and growing brilliant people to meet organisational objectives and experienced in developing tailored training plans to help meet skills gaps and challenges.

In her spare time Suzi is happiest when outdoors – be it riding her horse, watching her boys play sport or going out for a run (and of course eating the much needed cake afterwards).

Director of Development

Shelagh Paterson

Shelagh joined us on 4 March 2024 as the Director of Development, bringing with her over 35 years of experience in fundraising, marketing, and communication. Her knowledge spans across various fundraising streams in the UK, and in the international giving arena. Shelagh has held senior positions in both the commercial and non-profit sectors, successfully raising funds for charities in health, elderly care, disability support, children’s welfare, heritage, conservation and international development.

Throughout her career, Shelagh has demonstrated her expertise by establishing new charities, and securing multimillion-pound partnerships and high-performing teams. She focuses on developing new fundraising streams that yield the highest returns, emphasising mutually beneficial partnerships and excellent supporter stewardship.

Shelagh’s mission aligns with our vision at Hatch Enterprise – to establish an inclusive ecosystem where everyone has access to the power of entrepreneurship, fostering a fairer economy, strong communities, and a better world. Working collaboratively with all the teams at Hatch, she will strengthen existing fundraising streams and identify new avenues, enabling us to realise our 2030 vision.

In her spare time she is a mother to her 17 year old son, has a keen interest in interior design and upcycling furniture, and walking in the Shropshire Hills.  She volunteers for numerous charities, providing guidance and strategic direction to both new and struggling organisations. In her local community, Shelagh is a Trustee for Bewdley Festival, who raise funds to grant disadvantaged children access to the arts.

Grants Manager

Norvie Dzimega

Norvie rejoined Hatch as our Grants Manager in January 2024, after previously working as a programme manager on our funding programmes.

Her career started in psychology, but she was drawn to entrepreneurship and began attending crowdfunding events straight out of university. Noticing a lack of diversity in these spaces, she realised there was an opportunity for more representation, leading her to Hatch.

In her role, she hopes to play a part in increasing economic equity and supporting founders to grow.

She is particularly interested in the potential technology has for creating global impact and seeing the way businesses will leverage to expand their reach.

Events & Partnerships Coordinator

Zoe Xu

Zoe Xu is the Event Coordinator at Hatch, bringing a background in the art, luxury retail, and non-profit sectors. She holds a Master’s degree in Children’s Literature and Children’s Book Illustration from Goldsmiths, and a Bachelor’s degree in Visual Communication Design from China.

Zoe excels in creative problem-solving and is dedicated to making a meaningful impact through her work. At Hatch, she leverages her creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to organize impactful events and support the community of founders, promoting equal access to opportunities and fostering inclusive environments.

Outside of work, Zoe is a nature lover who enjoys art, food, and traveling. She delights in exploring new places and cultures, finding inspiration and connection through these experiences.

Community Engagement Manager (maternity cover)

Charlie Cheeseman

Charlie is the Community Engagement Manager (maternity cover) at Hatch. She works on engaging Hatch graduates in our online community platform, Circle. She is passionate about the power of community building, and its role in opening new pathways for social change.

Prior to joining Hatch, Charlie co-ordinated community wellbeing services for mental health charity Mind in Brighton & Hove, and was an adviser for Migrant Help. She brings an experimental approach, with a background setting up and running diverse humanitarian initiatives in Greece.

Charlie is particularly interested in community-led innovation and regenerative design. She is also a breathwork facilitator running her own holistic therapies business, Recalibrate. In her spare time, she loves travelling, wild swimming & cooking, hiking & camping.

Programme Manager

Felix Jackson

Felix is one of the Cohort Programme Managers at Hatch. He designs content and delivers programmes for founders at the Accelerator stages of their business journey. He loves being part of an amazing team who are working together to drive social change and rebalance opportunity for deserving founders.

Outside of Hatch, Felix loves outdoor sports, plants and is fascinated by ancient history.

Marketing and Recruitment Manager

Niamh Heffernan

Niamh joined Hatch in June 2024 as Marketing and Recruitment Manager with experience in both the charity and commercial sectors. Having also studied and worked as a primary school teacher and a goldsmith, Niamh brings a creative and multifaceted approach to her role.

She is passionate about working with underrepresented entrepreneurs, listening to and understanding their needs, and being part of the network of support that Hatch provides.

Outside of work, Niamh enjoys meeting new people, running, cooking, and enjoying good food with friends.’

Cohort Programme Coordinator

Paola Castillo

Paola is a Cohort Programme Coordinator at Hatch, passionate about empowering individuals and promoting equal access to opportunities regardless of their background. At Hatch she designs content and delivers programmes for founders at all stages of their entrepreneurial journey.

With a MSc in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a law degree, Paola combines academic knowledge with practical experience. Her expertise includes impact measurement, social innovation design, and optimising social impact strategies. She has over 6 years of experience as a corporate and finance lawyer across sustainability, construction, finance, and retail sectors.

Prior to Hatch, Paola managed a legal pro bono program supporting social entrepreneurs in impact investment. In her free time, she enjoys cooking Peruvian food, exploring art exhibitions, attending concerts, gardening, and watching movies.

Pronouns: she/her