John Barros, businessman and former economic development chief under former Boston Mayor Marty Walsh, was appointed to lead the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority on Friday.

The News Service previously reported that Barros was in line for the job, and the MCCA board confirmed his appointment as interim executive director and CEO during a Friday afternoon meeting by a 13-0 vote. He will begin next week and his term as interim CEO is for one year.

Board Chair Emme Handy said she was “enthusiastic” about Barros as a candidate.

“He brings more than 25 years of leadership experience across public, private and nonprofit sectors,” Handy said. “His career has been deeply focused on economic development, equitable growth community impacts, much of which he did through his role as chief of economic development for the city of Boston from 2014 to 2021, where he also led the creation of a consolidated Economic Development Cabinet. During his tenure with the city, he advanced initiatives to create jobs, he strengthened tourism, trained the workforce and revitalized Boston neighborhoods. He contributed to the addition of 140,000 new jobs citywide.”

Barros is currently the managing principal at Civitas Builders, and has served as the executive director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, principal at real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield, and unsuccessfully ran for mayor of Boston in 2013 and 2021.