To oversee international expansion, the Alibaba Group is turning to a former Goldman Sachs executive who has long worked with the Chinese Internet giant.

Alibaba on Tuesday named J. Michael Evans, who already serves on its board, as its president.

The role is the biggest for Mr. Evans, an Olympic medalist rower who was once seen as a potential candidate to become Goldman’s next chief executive. In his 20-year career at the Wall Street firm, he rose through the ranks in London and Hong Kong before becoming the global head of growth markets.

He also played a leadership role on the bank’s Business Standards Committee, formed after the financial crisis to help the firm quell criticism about its practices.

But his name came up less frequently in recent years, and he retired from Goldman in 2013.

Mr. Evans’s international experience is expected to drive his work in helping Alibaba expand its business abroad, and in particular convincing companies in Europe, the Americas and elsewhere in Asia that the e-commerce giant is the best way to access hundreds of millions of Chinese customers.

Mr. Evans first came to know Alibaba during his time in Hong Kong, where he eventually became the chairman of Goldman Sachs Asia Pacific.

He will report to Daniel Zhang, Alibaba’s chief executive.

“I am honored to be joining Alibaba and excited by the opportunity to lead Alibaba’s international growth strategy,” Mr. Evans said in a statement. “I look forward to joining Daniel’s management team and working with a terrific group of people with whom I’ve developed strong relationships.”

“As we connect Alibaba and the rest of the world, we are turning to a proven international leader who has been connecting China and the rest of the world for most of his career,” Jack Ma, Alibaba’s founder and executive chairman, said in a statement. “Through his work on our board, he has built the trust and respect of our management team, and I have no doubt that he will make a significant contribution to our business.”