Mr D’Arcy will step down at the end of January 2018, but will remain as Numark chairman for “at least two years” to oversee the company’s progress, it announced today (July 17).

Having qualified as a pharmacist in 1980, Mr D’Arcy joined the National Pharmacy Association (NPA) in 1990 and was appointed the association’s chief executive in 1996.

After 17 years at the NPA, he joined Rowlands Pharmacy as commercial director. This was followed by an "interim spell" at Numark in 2008, and then appointment as its managing director in 2010.

Numark said Mr D’Arcy has been “hugely influential in shaping the business during his tenure”, during which time membership grew to 3,400.

He has “relentlessly championed the cause for community pharmacy” and has supported members though “challenging times” and “momentous industry change”, it added.

Mr D’Arcy is a regular blogger for C+D. Read his latest article – on the upcoming EU medicine scanning law – here.