Mr Meader will take up the position of director on February 1, as Mr D’Arcy retires from the position after a decade with the buying group, it announced today (November 8).

Mr Meader had been sales director at wholesaler Phoenix – which owns Numark – for three years, after working at GlaxoSmithKline and Alliance Healthcare.

Mr D’Arcy will remain an ambassador for the group as a non-executive chairman, Numark said.

Phoenix UK’s group managing director Steve Anderson said: “We have a great team at Numark, and are going from strength to strength with ambitious growth plans over the coming years.”

“Our sector is facing many challenges, but I know Jeremy and John will develop the solutions and support our customers' need to succeed”.

Numark said Mr Meader has a “unique understanding of the Numark membership, having headed up the pharmacy development team”.

Mr D’Arcy is a regular blogger for C+D. Read his latest article – on the 15p increase in advance payments – here.