James Tolcher

Why did you choose Leeds University Business School? 

After completing an undergraduate degree in International Business, I pursued a master's degree to focus and specialise on topics and modules that I found particularly interesting. One of these areas was innovation. Innovation, particularly technological innovation, is what fuels our economy and helps accelerate progress across society, making it a very worthwhile endeavour. As someone who is creative, innovation offers an area to explore new ideas and turn them into valuable products, services and processes. 

This degree would explore the relationship between strategy-making and innovation management through a combination of research-led teaching, practical projects, simulations, digital collaboration and industry engagement. 

What did you enjoy most about your course? 

The hands-on practical project within Innovation Management in Practice was a course highlight, as experience of turning theory into reality is one of the few skills that graduates often don't have when joining the workforce. 

Our module leader, Tony Morgan, had an abundance of experience working in the private sector, so he could convey complex ideas and processes with examples from the real world. Each lecture would take us through a different part of the innovation management process, followed by a seminar to facilitate group discussion. 

We would complete innovation management process tasks together, such as stakeholder mapping, idea generation, prototyping, building business cases and value proposition statements. 

What did you enjoy most about student life at Leeds? 

Outside my studies, I was pursuing becoming a screenwriter and filmmaker, which involved writing scripts and making short films. 

One of the many benefits of attending the University of Leeds is that the city is steeped in cinema history. One of the first ever films, shot in 1888 by Louis Le Prince, was filmed in Roundhay, and this very fact would become the basis for one of my short film projects. 

I was also able to build a network and community of like-minded film enthusiasts and filmmakers, with the Leeds Film Society hosting regular screenings and the Leeds International Film Festival. I volunteered at the film festival during my time on the course and have continued to do so every year since. 

What professional skills and experience did you gain during your time at Leeds University Business School? 

I was able to develop an understanding of key concepts in strategy, innovation management and digital transformation. In particular, I learned how to generate, evaluate and implement innovative ideas for products, services, processes and business models. 

Alongside this, during the seminars I was able to build soft skills that employers value, including creativity, collaboration, communication, adaptability, ethical judgement and leadership. 

How did your time at Leeds prepare you for the future? 

My time at Leeds prepared me for the future through exposure to a diverse range of people. One of the key things I'd learn during the course is that diverse viewpoints and thinking are fundamental to innovation, particularly idea generation. 

Groups that include people with different experiences will be more innovative, and the research literature backs this up. 

How has your career progressed since leaving the Business School? 

Since leaving the Business School, I have worked across two industries: financial advisory and media and entertainment. The vast majority of this has been for Flutter Entertainment, the largest sports betting company in the world. 

I've had the opportunity to work on research and innovation projects with countries across the world, including America, Europe, India and Australia, and have been fortunate enough to travel to countries such as Romania, Georgia, Bulgaria, Portugal and Ireland as part of these projects. 

Alongside this, I have continued pursuing filmmaking and have now made three short films. Some of my accomplishments include winning Best Mobile Short at the Golden Nugget Film Festival 2025, being nominated for Best Screenplay – Feature Film at the Birmingham Film Festival 2024 and being nominated for Best Picture at the Penistone Film Festival 2026. 

What are your ambitions for the future? 

In the future, I'd like to combine my experience and skills within business innovation and strategy with my passion for films and cinema. There is an abundance of opportunities within the studio and independent systems to apply innovation practices, particularly at such a challenging time for cinemas, studios and filmmakers. 

My dissertation, for which I received a distinction, focused on 'What business model innovations are used by SMEs in the UK film industry'. This is an example of the type of area I'd like to focus on in the future. 

What was your biggest highlight of studying at Leeds? 

I'll always remember my time volunteering at the Leeds International Film Festival. This was the highlight of my extracurricular activities. Meeting like-minded filmmakers and film enthusiasts motivated and inspired me to pursue my passion for writing scripts and making films. 

Being able to portray Leeds and its wealth of cinema history in my short film, Finding Louis Le Prince (available to watch on YouTube), was an honour. 

Would you recommend Leeds University Business School? 

I would strongly recommend the University of Leeds and the Business School. This course is a unique offering by the University and something I couldn't find elsewhere. You will gain valuable knowledge and experience that will prepare you for whatever job or role you do next. I can't forget to mention that the University being located in one of the best and most vibrant cities in the country is a huge bonus. I would recommend that any new student get into the city as much as possible, attend every event, join communities and build a network within the city.