Business
Jose Tolosa Guides Organizations Forward with Clarity, Purpose, and Integrity
Global Banking and Finance Review
Company
Visionary Executive Leading Organizations Toward Long-term Responsible Growth
Visionary Executive Leading Organizations Toward Long-term Responsible Growth
Jose Tolosa views change as organizational change, not just the change of structure or technology. Change means getting people to gravitate toward the purpose, being honest in the face of the challenge, and fostering values that allow for sustainable growth over the long-term. Over two decades of progressive executive-level experience, including time at ViacomCBS and Meow Wolf, Jose has led organizations through some of the most difficult transitions. All while providing clarity, integrity, and a long-term view, not following an industry trend.
To Jose, leadership has never been about the showmanship; it has always been about the focus. Jose has gained a reputation for transforming complexity into simplicity, and enabling organizations to make substantive moves when change is difficult. Whether implementing enterprise-wide restructures, repositioning an entire creative organization, or guiding an organization through a merger integration, he focuses the process on people, relationships, and purpose.
From Global Business to Creative Leader
Jose began his career inspired by family. A grandson to a Cuban immigrant who came to Puerto Rico and reconstructed a life and career, Jose ascribes much of his entrepreneurial spirit and perseverance to this beginning. From San Juan to DC and NY to Buenos Aires, Boston, San Diego, Miami and back to New York, his journey reflects depth and resilience. His early experience of helping take a startup from Buenos Aires to public company in the U.S. was a harbinger of an ongoing commitment to helping organizations grow responsibly. As the Chief Transformation Officer for ViacomCBS, Jose Tolosa was at the forefront of great change in the industry. He consulted with teams, across cultures and geographies to build alignment on strategy and operations. He stepped in to tackle the challenge of integration between two large legacy companies. Complexity was not relegated to spreadsheets and decision-making was guided by emotion and instinct. Jose was methodical, people-centric, transparent, and deliberate. His impact spanned from Latin America to Europe, Asia and beyond.
Later, when he became the CEO of Meow Wolf, he dashed from corporate to creative and from composing structure to conjuring imagination. His principles did not shift: build carefully, lead with empathy, and hold the mission in full integrity. While leading, Meow Wolf opened new exhibitions, launched digital media work, and developed transmedia storytelling, all while getting certified as a B-Corporation, the first in its sector. For Jose Tolosa, business is more than scale; it is keeping scale aligned with purpose.
Transformation Grounded in Relationships
Through it all, Jose Tolosa has held the same core value: responsible transformation starts from the inside out. Jose would rather invest in strategic alignment, building culture, and shared ownership, than chase quick wins or tactical engagements. He strives to create spaces for welcome feedback, continued learning, and absolute clarity.
People that work with Jose say his leadership is calm and precise. Even under pressure or high-stakes circumstances, he creates time and space to explain the "why."He involves team members in the process and gives them the confidence to take ownership. His method of coaching builds trust. He listens first, communicates expectations clearly, and never loses the human side of performance.
This has had a large effect. Jose Tolosa has coached plenty of professionals across considerable industries, but especially emerging leaders from more historically underrepresented and marginalized backgrounds. He sees leadership not as just numbers and profit, but as being there for people. It is this grounded frame that separates him from others and has earned him a reasonable amount of respect throughout his career.
Responsible Growth Begins with Internal Clarity
Jose Tolosa reflects that there is no indication of transformation without trust. Jose's approach to any business issue always begins with alignment. What is the goal? Who's accountable for what? How do we know if we're making progress? Once those questions are answered, he'll generate momentum with small wins and communicate clearly. He does not advocate for reinventing an entire system just to shake it up. Rather, he adds value to what's there, trims waste, and directs energy where it counts.
Jose's leadership style blends vision with pragmatism. He is comfortable discussing system implementation as much as he is comfortable talking about organizational culture. He is not interested in choosing between strategy versus empathy, structure versus creativity. These aren't separate lanes, they're intersecting, and the role of a leader is to connect them.
Jose's colleagues at ViacomCBS admired his composure, steadiness, and authenticity, even on high-stake days. Instead of reacting to the noise, he would bring everyone back to purpose. This ability to lead through uncertainty is invaluable in a business world that is always changing.
Advocacy Outside the Office
Outside of the boardroom, Jose Tolosa remains committed to service. He serves on the Board of Advisors at Georgetown University's McDonough School of Business, and he actively supports Ballet Hispánico, which supports Latin artists and celebrates identity through dance and education.
His philanthropic efforts align with the same values he brings to business: representation, inclusion, and developing others. Jose does not wish to be the loudest voice in the room; rather, he wants to give others their voice. Through mentoring, serving on a board, and working with others, he provides a return in many ways not tied to his title.
Making Hard Decisions with Purpose
Jose Tolosa is no stranger to making hard choices. During transitions at Viacom and Meow Wolf, he led teams through layoffs, restructures, and re-alignment. All with a sense of transparency and respect. For him, the hardest decisions are often the hardest to make. Not necessarily resulting in worse outcomes, but worse characters. He has always advocated for clear objectives, conversations that result in straightforward decisions, and inviting others to do their best work.
Discipline and empathy elevate Jose Tolosa as a competent leader regardless of the setting. He believes in establishing cultures that promote performance and wellness together and does not ask people to deny their values when there is progress. Rather, he models what it means to progress without neglecting what is most important.
Real Success is Shared and Sustainable
When asked to define success, Jose speaks of people, not numbers. He is most proud of the teams he has built, the people he has mentored, and the culture in which he occupied a role within the organization. Whether working with a corporation unit with global responsibility or working with a small start-up, he prioritized outcomes that were sustainable and did not negate authenticity or inclusion.
Jose also believes in recognition of others. One of his core principles is success should be shared, with recognition being given to those often overlooked. He recognizes everyone from intern to senior peer, all contributing towards future success.
Leadership that Honors the Whole Journey Forward
Jose Tolosa continues to serve as a trusted voice in conversations regarding transformation in business, creative leadership and sustainable growth. He is a leader reflecting on what can happen when you have a leader who is disciplined and compassionate in their work. A leader who leads not only from experience but with a vision, and heart.
In an era where organizations are under increased pressure to change quickly, Jose is a voice reminding everyone that real transformation takes time. Transformation takes trust, relinquishing control, patience and holding firm to core principles when the road is tough. His journey is one of growth, service, and impact in ways that tell a story of how transformation is possible, when produced with care.
Corporate governance refers to the system of rules, practices, and processes by which a company is directed and controlled, focusing on the relationships among stakeholders.
Business transformation involves making fundamental changes to how a business operates, often to improve efficiency, adapt to market changes, or enhance customer experience.
Sustainable growth is the ability of a business to grow without negatively impacting the environment or society, ensuring long-term viability and success.
Leadership integrity refers to the adherence of leaders to ethical principles and values, fostering trust and respect among team members and stakeholders.
Responsible growth emphasizes the importance of expanding a business while considering social, environmental, and economic impacts, ensuring a positive contribution to society.
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