Jose Luis Castro is the Executive Vice President of Consumer Products & Experiences for Paramount, overseeing Global Collaborations, EMEA Licensing, US Apparel & Lifestyle Licensing and the Direct-To-Consumer E-commerce business. In this role, Castro oversees Paramount’s consumer products licensing relationships for all fashion and lifestyle categories including Apparel, Accessories and Homewares for the US Market and recently expanded his role to oversee licensing for EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) partnering with the local leaders across the region. He is also responsible for Paramount’s collaborations which include all co-branded and custom-designed product activations with brands, celebrities and designers and the merchandise at all of Paramount’s Global Experiences including theme parks and hotels.
A 19-year Paramount veteran, Castro has held multiple licensing and retail positions throughout his tenure – most recently focusing on key categories for Paramount’s library of IP, characters and brands including MTV, CBS, Star Trek, PAW Patrol, SpongeBob SquarePants and iconic movie classics from the Paramount Pictures library. He has helmed world-class programs and partnerships with major brands including Nike, Adidas and celebrities like The Weeknd and Lady Gaga and has led several key merchandising statements in over 40 major department and specialty store chains around the world.
Castro, based in New York City, has a B.A. in Marketing with a Concentration in Entertainment, Media & Technology from New York University, and is a graduate of NAMIC’s Executive Leadership Development Program and Viacom’s Inspirational Leadership Program. He currently serves as the Executive Co-Chair for SOMOS, Paramount’s Latino Employee Resource Group.