John was born and educated in Auckland, and attended Auckland Grammar before entering Auckland Medical School.  He qualified to practice in 2002 and then pursued an interest in Orthopaedic surgery, attaining admission into the New Zealand, Advanced Orthopaedic Training Scheme in 2007. During this time John worked with some of the best Orthopaedic surgeons in Auckland and around New Zealand. John was awarded Fellowship in Orthopaedic Surgery with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons in 2011. He then travelled internationally for a further 2 years to obtain sub-specialist training.  John spent a year at the internationally renowned London Health Sciences Centre at the University of Western Ontario in Canada and specialised in Arthroplasty (hip and knee replacements) specialising in complex cases. A further year was spent at the University of Toronto at Toronto Western Hospital specialising in Hand and Wrist, microsurgery and peripheral nerve surgery.

John is married with three young children. His ancestry is Maori via Ngati Kahu and Te Rarawa and New Zealand European.  Passions outside Orthopaedics are carpentry, woodwork, landscaping and anything to do with the ocean.