Jose Tolosa—Ethical, People-Centered Leadership in Creative and Corporate Spaces

By the time Jose Tolosa accepted the role of CEO at Meow Wolf in 2022, he had already spent more than a decade inside one of the most complex media companies in the world. During his years at Viacom and ViacomCBS, he had taken on global leadership roles, guided cost restructuring across continents, and managed a high-stakes corporate merger.

Taking the top position at a creativity-first organization wasn’t about leaving his past behind to chase something new. Rather, it was a return to everything that had always mattered most to him: building, transforming, and leading through complexity.

Still, the transition came with real adjustments. Moving from a stable corporate environment with established systems into a company founded by artists meant rethinking how he led, earned trust, and made decisions.

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The work required him to support a different kind of mission while helping the organization grow through rapid expansion and moments of strain. He had to bring the structure and discipline he was known for, all while being careful not to squash the creative spark that made Meow Wolf what it was.

That experience pushed Tolosa to rethink leadership itself, not as a fixed style, but as something learned over time and defined by his own values and perspective.

Making Big Changes Work From the Inside

When Tolosa became Chief Transformation Officer at Viacom, the company was experiencing a slow but visible decline in relevance. Well-known brands were losing their place in the market, viewer habits had changed, and revenue was tightening across the board. His job was to help the company move forward without tearing it apart in the process.

To do so, Tolosa worked alongside the CEO and executive team to reduce unnecessary costs, adjust the business strategy, and re-invest in areas with the highest potential for long-term growth. It was a big shift, but because it prioritized people, it gained traction inside the company.

When Viacom merged with CBS, Tolosa was asked to stay on and help integrate the two companies. This meant aligning different leadership teams, operating models, and creative strategies across a newly combined organization. Although the complexity and pressure increased, Tolosa’s approach stayed the same.

He helped lead a company-wide synergy plan, streamlined global operations, and worked across business lines to bring creative and commercial goals into alignment. More than the business outcome, what stayed with him was the experience of navigating uncertainty without losing people and guiding a legacy company into its next chapter.

Scaling a Creative Organization Without Diluting It

Joining Meow Wolf brought a clear change of pace. The company had started with artists and its mission was rooted in immersive storytelling, experimentation, and community-based collaboration. The company had found early success through originality and word-of-mouth, but by the time Jose Tolosa arrived, it was at a turning point.

During his time as CEO, Meow Wolf launched permanent exhibitions in Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston and laid the groundwork for locations in Los Angeles and New York. Beyond physical spaces, the company began developing content across mobile, gaming, and digital platforms, with hopes of expanding into international markets. This kind of growth required new systems, better internal processes, and more reliable ways to support teams in different locations.

Instead of taking over the creative side, Tolosa focused on building the infrastructure behind it. He helped implement operational practices that would hold up as the company expanded, careful not to strip away what made it unusual to begin with. Under his leadership, Meow Wolf became the first B-Corp in the themed entertainment space and was named one of Fast Company’s World’s 50 Most Innovative Companies.

Leaving the Role to Chase a More Personal Kind of Success

In 2025, Tolosa made the decision to step down as CEO of Meow Wolf. The company was growing, and several major projects were well underway, but after three and a half years in the role, he began to feel the personal cost more than ever before.

Frequent travel had caused him to miss out on important moments back at home, like watching his teen children grow up. His wife had taken on more day-to-day responsibilities, and his parents weren’t getting any younger. No matter how much progress the company made, the time he was missing couldn’t be replaced.

While walking away was tough, the choice aligned with Tolosa’s own idea of success—staying true to his values and showing up where it matters most. For him, that meant being a present father, husband, and son, not just a dedicated executive.

While he recognized he wouldn’t get to see every project through, he left knowing the company was in talented hands. The clarity that followed,  along with the time it gave back to his family, confirmed he made the right move.

Finding His Voice and Helping Others Find Theirs

In 2015, years before he led Meow Wolf, Jose Tolosa found himself questioning whether certain parts of his identity were limiting his trajectory. On paper, he had the experience, credentials, and results, but what he was more concerned with was how others might be perceiving him. He wondered if being Latino, having an accent, or leading with empathy made him seem out of step with what others expected from someone in his position.

These doubts were never confirmed by anyone else, but they built slowly and quietly, affecting how Tolosa spoke, led, and believed in his own potential. Eventually, he worked with an executive coach who helped him challenge those assumptions. Through that process, he came to understand that the things that made him different weren’t obstacles but strengths that made him an effective leader.

As his confidence returned, he began showing up more fully, leaning into his unique voice and leadership style instead of trying to match someone else’s. Since then, he’s made it a priority to support others working through similar doubts—especially Latino professionals who may not often see people who look or lead like them in senior roles. Supporting others through those moments has become one of the most meaningful parts of his career.

Creating Space for People to Own Their Work

Tolosa doesn’t see leadership as something requiring him to be involved in every little detail. When leading teams, he starts by making sure the goal is clear and the purpose behind it is understood. Once the direction is set, he focuses on giving people the support, time, and trust they need to move the work forward.

If someone isn’t ready, he works alongside them. If they are, he steps back and lets them take charge. For Tolosa, delegation doesn’t mean stepping away, but helping people grow and take real responsibility. He believes that when people feel empowered and see the value in their work, they’re more likely to take initiative and invest in the outcome.

Whether it was building teams at Viacom or supporting creative expansion at Meow Wolf, his goal was always to create an environment where people felt encouraged to contribute instead of just following directions.

That instinct to guide rather than control started early. Early in high school, Tolosa was asked to coach his younger brother’s basketball team after their coach quit mid-season. Although he had no formal training, he focused on motivating players and creating strategies that played to each team member’s strengths.

The team went on to win the league championship, but the lesson he took from the experience was just as profound. Leadership, he realized, is not about having all the answers, but giving people the tools and encouragement to perform at their best.

Investing in the Institutions That Made a Difference in His Life

Even as his roles have shifted, Tolosa has remained closely connected to the communities that shaped him. He currently serves on the Board of Advisors for Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, his alma mater. As someone who relied on financial aid in order to attend, he views his involvement as a way to pass on what he received.

He’s also Vice-President of the Board at Ballet Hispánico, an organization that champions Latino voices through dance, cultural programming, and youth education. For Tolosa, who has built his career at the intersection of business and creativity, their mission feels personally meaningful and ties closely to the things he cares about most: creative expression, cultural representation, and making the arts more accessible.

Decisions That Add Up to Work That Matters

These days, Jose Tolosa is much more intentional about where he spends his time. He continues to advise organizations navigating change and support causes that reflect his values, especially those that expand access for minority groups and elevate underrepresented voices. If the work doesn’t line up with his values, he’s comfortable turning it down.

His advice for those starting out in his field is to stay grounded, take on the hard work, and help others even when it goes unseen. Over time, those choices create not just a successful career, but a way of leading with integrity.