Mr Cooper's role was announced yesterday, and means he will earn about $50,000 a year as a director of Dunedin City Holdings Ltd (DCHL).
The role also includes a directorship at Dunedin Treasury Ltd, which provides funding and financial services to other companies in the DCHL group.
Mr Cooper left Silver Fern Farms as one of the highest-paid chief executives in Otago, earning between $970,001 and $980,000.
He stepped down in October after returning the company to profitability this year, following several difficult years.
He said yesterday he planned to draw on his experience in the ''pure commercial world'' and put something back into the city in which he was a ratepayer, and had been a major employer.
The council yesterday also announced the appointment of lawyer Raewyn Lovett and businessman Alan McConnon to the board of Dunedin Venues Management Ltd (DVML).
DVML is responsible for running Forsyth Barr Stadium and other council-owned venues.
Dunedin Mayor Dave Cull said DCHL advertised ''and looked around'' for people to fill the three posts.
''Because of their own commercial experience, those people have a knowledge of who's around and who's up and coming.''
Applicants were interviewed and shortlisted, and the council had to approve final choices.
While in the past the public-good aspect of directorships of public companies meant remuneration was less, Mr Cull said that was changing.
If the council discounted ''reasonably heavily'' on remuneration, there would be ''some people you just couldn't get''.
''I mean, professional directors need to earn a living.''
DCHL chairman Graham Crombie said Mr Cooper was taking over from Bill Baylis, who has stepped down.
Mr Baylis was brought in when the council dumped previous directors in 2011, in the wake of an independent report on DCHL from Warren Larsen.
That report sparked widespread changes in the group of companies, after identifying a high level of dysfunction.
Mr Crombie said directors' workloads included about 10 meetings a year, and plenty of work outside meetings.
Council chief financial officer Grant McKenzie said Ms Lovett was well versed in governance as deputy chairwoman of Quotable Value Ltd, and previously as the chairwoman of Obex Medical Ltd.
Her sporting experience included a role as chairwoman of the Netball New Zealand board, the High Performance Advisory Group and Auckland Sport.
The qualified lawyer had experience in commercial, corporate, employment and property law.
Mr McConnon was an experienced businessman who had grown the Mainland dairy brand from a regional operator to a market leader.
His career had included experience in information technology, administration, sales, marketing distribution and export marketing.
He is a chartered fellow of the Institute of Directors in New Zealand. DVML board members earn about $16,000 a year.
