Chairman of the Fife-based company, Fred Bowden, said: "We are delighted to welcome Tim who brings significant experience to the board having spent the last 14 years of his career as managing director and then chief executive of Johnston Press.
"He is currently a non-executive of the Miller Group."
Bowdler retired as chief executive of Johnston Press in January 2009 and shortly afterwards collected the prestigious President's Award from the Newspaper Society.
Elsewhere, the business has also appointed Séverine Taulin as French sales manager.
Taulin takes over from Arnaud Jouvance having spent the past 12 years working in the merchant trade in France with Inapa and Nordic packaging company Korsnäs.
Jouvance who will take on the role of premium packaging sector manager.