Stephen Green, group chairman of HSBC Holdings, will serve as deputy to the president, Helen Alexander, with a view to succeeding her next year.
Green, 61, whose nomination will go forward to the CBI's annual meeting next month, said: "I can say with complete confidence that British businesses are among the best in the world and I look forward to supporting the CBI's work and, importantly, to ensuring that this country remains an attractive home for investment and international business."