He is a chartered accountant with a Victoria University degree in commerce and administration.
Mr Green serves on the board of the Bay of Plenty Regional Council-owned Quayside Holdings Group which owns the Port of Tauranga with a share and property portfolio worth $100 million.
He is also a director of Rural Equities Ltd and previously chaired the boards of Canterbury of New Zealand, ANZDL Shipping Lines, Vox Retail group (Australia), Alliance Textile group, Repco Group, Union Shipping Group and Hellaby Holdings.
During a 21-year career with international accountancy firm Price Waterhouse, Mr Green held senior positions in Johannesburg, London, San Francisco, Sydney and Wellington.
He has also held executive roles with R&W; Hellaby Ltd, National Provident Fund, Perpetual Management Company Ltd and Brierley Investments.
Rotorua mayor Kevin Winters said he was impressed with the candidates' wide range of experience and skill, particularly those of Mr Green.
"In the end we received 30 applications for the six directorships, including five for the role of independent board chairperson.
"John Green's credentials for heading our new economic development CCO are simply outstanding. His wide-ranging business skills, international commercial experience and successful record of chairing corporate boards make him a standout for this role.
"Rotorua is very fortunate that John is prepared to serve his community in this position," he said.
Mr Green said it was in the interests of Rotorua and the wider community to have sustainable economic growth and he was pleased the council had the confidence in him to help drive the district's growth strategy for the future.
"I want to see Rotorua build a reputation as a genuine 'can-do' place with a much more positive attitude around what can be achieved and I will certainly be promoting those goals wherever I can," he said.
"I believe the 'arms length' structure that the council has put in place for the CCO, and the board's statement of intent, will give our board the freedom to apply a commercially focused approach to making things happen for Rotorua."
Mr Green said the CCO on its own was no silver bullet for the city's economic challenges.
"We will need a strong and co-operative partnership with the council, iwi, government and other community organisations, and the support of our local community, if we're to achieve the results that Rotorua deserves."
Mr Winters said the selection panel would conduct interviews for the board later this week and next week with an announcement on appointments expected at the beginning of June.