Eugropa comprises 22 national paper merchant associations.

Darrot, who joined Antalis in 2001 as chief executive, replaces Map Merchant Group chief executive Karl Johan Lindborg, who has reached the end of his two-year tenure in the post.

Eugropa represents about 200 paper merchants employing a total of 24,000 staff.

Its role is to develop and promote merchant distribution as the channel of choice for suppliers and customers.

The organisation also seeks to promote the interest of its members through lobbying and consultation.

Its members' total sales volume is 12m tonnes of paper and board a year, with a value of about 12bn.