What did you learn from the corporate world?
That consistent and sustainable results don't come from formulas, but from cultures consistent with their values and ambitions. True performance comes from authenticity, not repetition.
02
What moves you?
Seeing people and organizations reconnect with their essential truth—that which is legitimate, pulsating, and non-negotiable. What drives me is translating this reconnection into strategy, narrative, and impact.
01
What legacy do you want to leave with Highlander?
To create an ecosystem where capital and consciousness work together as complementary forces of transformation. A space that catalyzes leaders, ideas, and projects that not only perform—but also redefine.
03
Founder
Leadership that transforms through experience.
At the helm of Highlander Ventures is José Papa Neto — a global strategist with a track record in organizations that have reshaped their sectors and influenced cultural, educational, and creative agendas on a global scale.
He was CEO of WGSN, the world's largest trend intelligence platform, used by leading brands to anticipate behavior and build cultural relevance. He led Cannes Lions, an international festival that sets the pulse of the global creative and advertising industry, serving as a benchmark for innovation and excellence. He was responsible for the launch and structuring of Trace Brasil, the national arm of one of the world's largest Afro-urban media groups, connected to the peripheries and new cultural narratives. He was Chairman of Bett, the largest EdTech event on the planet, where he created the brand's global educational council, repositioning the platform as a benchmark for innovation in education. He also led the strategic restructuring of Hyve, a global events group headquartered in London and operating in over 120 countries.
Multidisciplinary by nature, Papa has built his career connecting cultures, businesses, and people with vision, depth, and authenticity. More than an executive, he is an architect of narratives and cultures. After overcoming a serious health challenge, he converted vulnerability into strength and purpose—and channeled this journey into a new way of leading: more conscious, more strategic, and more transformative.
This fusion of performance and awareness gave rise to Highlander Ventures: an ecosystem that combines capital, culture, and impact to build the new.
Its mission is clear: transform culture into strategy, authenticity into value, and leadership into legacy.
Culture coding
Culture isn't just climate; it's code. At this stage, we translate values into behaviors, rituals, and systems. The invisible begins to operate intentionally.
04
High-performance mentoring
We work together to ensure execution doesn't slip. Strategic and emotional support for leaders who need to maintain consistency and courage over time.
05
MEDIA
At the intersection of capital and consciousness.
Highlander Ventures was created to catalyze visionary leaders, bold projects, and cultural transformations with validated impact. We are the meeting point for innovative ideas, strategy, investment, and purpose.
We connect capital and culture in initiatives that anticipate the future. We spearheaded the launch of Trace Brasil, led the global restructuring of WGSN, led the transformation of Cannes Lions into the world's largest creativity festival, and created the global education council for Bett—the largest EdTech event on the planet—repositioning it as a global reference for innovation in education.
Today, Highlander advances with proprietary projects, transformational investments, and an advisory model that combines cultural intelligence, institutional legitimacy, and strategic thinking.
Founded in 2019 | Base: Brazil | Reach: Global | Expertise: Consulting, advisory, and direct investment
.jpg)
