Tom Potter

A dynamic entrepreneur and visionary business leader, best known as the Founder, Director, and Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Boys Pizza, one of Australia’s most successful retail food franchises.

Over two decades, Tom Potter pioneered and grew the franchise, building it from the ground up into an iconic brand with 200 stores across Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji. His innovative franchise model and leadership were instrumental in scaling the business, culminating in a successful management buyout and its sale to NBC Capital, an investment banking group, in March 2007.

As CEO, Tom led a high-performing team of 120 corporate staff and 4,000 operational staff, driving business growth and operational excellence. His entrepreneurial approach, combined with a strong strategic vision, has been the foundation of his continued success across multiple sectors.

After exiting Eagle Boys Pizza, Tom transitioned to a career as a Non-Executive Director and advisor, lending his expertise in retail, franchising, and Quick Service Restaurants (QSR) to a diverse range of businesses—both privately owned and government backed corporations—across Australia and the USA. His experience spans business transformation, project management, and stakeholder engagement, consistently delivering results that drive long term value.

A recognised leader in the Australian franchise industry, Tom was inducted as the inaugural member of the Franchise Council of Australia’s Hall of Fame in 2005 and served as Chairman of the Hall of Fame Committee from 2013. He is a two time recipient of the Australia Day Patron Award for his outstanding contributions to the Australian business community.

In addition to his executive career, Tom is a sought after professional corporate speaker, delivering keynote presentations to over 50 ASX-listed and privately owned companies. His engaging and insightful talks focus on entrepreneurship, leadership, and innovation.

Recently, Tom has built a successful bakery business and launched a thriving donut venture, further continuing his legacy of pioneering entrepreneurial endeavours.

Tom Potter Talks About

• Change, Evolve, Thrive: How to embrace growth in a shifting world.
• Standing out in a sea of sameness: How to differentiate in a vanilla world.
• Outsmarting the giants: How to beat the big boys without the big budget.
• Marketing that actually works: Cut through the noise and focus on what really moves the needle for your business.
• Walking in your customers’ shoes: Understanding what they truly want.
• Becoming the zebra in a herd of horses: How to stand out with confidence.