Gough will take over the role with effect from 1 June, replacing current managing director Martin Fothergill (pictured).

He will report to Fothergill, who stepped up to take on the role of PaperlinX regional president for the UK and Ireland from Stephen Mason in February this year (PrintWeek 22 January).

Gough is currently divisional director for Sign & Display, part of the Robert Horne Group, and had been with the company for 23 years.

He started his career as laboratory technician with Robert Horne, taking on several roles within the company, before taking on his present role in 2001.

Australian merchanting and paper manufacturing group PaperlinX bought  the paper merchanting division of Buhrmann last year.

That deal, worth 492m, included Howard Smith Paper, the Robert Horne Group, and M6 Papers in the UK. 

It also bought paper merchant group PaperCo, formerly Bunzl Fine Paper, in 2002, in a 138m deal.