Cindy de Barros

Cindy is the Africa, India, Middle East, and Europe talent acquisition lead based in our Johannesburg, South Africa office.

Cindy is known for fostering a culture grounded in respect and openness. She emphasizes the importance of listening without judgement and creating safe spaces for individuals to share their perspectives. As Chair of the Employment Equity Committee, she advocates for initiatives that strengthen representation and equity across the business. She believes that bringing diverse perspectives together leads to stronger ideas and better outcomes.

In recognition of her commitment to advancing equity and inclusion, Cindy was named one of the recipients of the Hatch 2026 Positive Change Awards, which celebrate employees who exemplify the values of our Manifesto and actively contribute to strengthening our diverse teams.​‌

Why do you believe in diversity and inclusion?

I believe in diversity and inclusion because I’ve seen firsthand how much stronger teams become when different perspectives come together. Each person brings a unique story, experience, and way of thinking, which ultimately leads to better ideas and stronger outcomes.

In my role, I connect with people from a wide range of backgrounds, and it’s clear that when individuals feel valued and included, they contribute with greater confidence and impact.

For me, it’s not just about building teams, it’s about creating an environment where people feel accepted and comfortable being themselves. That’s when individuals thrive, and when teams do their best work.

What do you think we need to do as individuals to improve inclusivity?

Inclusivity is everyone’s responsibility, regardless of role. It starts with everyday actions. I believe we can all make an effort to listen intentionally to perspectives that differ from our own, without judgment or assumptions. Kindness and respect also go a long way, helping to create spaces where people feel safe to be themselves.

What does positive change mean to you?

Positive change is about the influence we have on others each day. I don’t think it has to come from large actions to matter. More often, it’s in the small moments, such as checking in on someone, being inclusive in everyday interactions, encouraging others to share their perspectives, or giving your team the confidence to speak up. That is when real change begins to take shape.

What do you think are the toughest challenges facing our clients?

Projects are increasingly being fast-tracked, with shorter timelines and higher expectations. This places significant pressure on teams to deliver high-quality outcomes quickly, while still ensuring the work is executed correctly the first time. One of the biggest challenges is securing the right talent with the technical and leadership capabilities needed to meet these demands.

What are you most proud of?

I’m most proud of my incredible global team and the opportunity we have to hire and develop Hatch’s future leaders. In my role, I’m able to bring talented graduates into the business and support them as they grow and succeed in their careers.

I’m also proud to be part of a global organization where I can make a meaningful contribution by helping build strong teams and shaping the next generation of talent at Hatch.

What do you like most about working at Hatch? How do you think the Hatch culture is different from other companies?

My favorite aspect of working at Hatch is the global influence we have on our day-to-day work. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t interact with colleagues from different countries, disciplines, and cultural backgrounds.

Having worked in other global organizations, I’ve seen how teams can sometimes operate in silos. What stands out at Hatch is the genuinely collaborative and inclusive culture. Teams work together across regions and disciplines with a shared purpose. This is something I actively share with prospective candidates when speaking about Hatch. We genuinely strive to live our Manifesto values every day.