THE Smurfit Group has announced a significant restructuring of its senior management, under which Mr Pat Barrett will become chief executive of a new division covering all its European operations.

He will thus take on an important position in the group, with the new European division consisting of 120 plants and 26 mills, operating in 10 countries and with a turn over of £2.1 billion.

Previously, Smurfit Group divided its European operations into two. The Continental European region was under the control of Mr Dermot Smurfit, and Mr Peter Webster ran the group's operations in Britain and Ireland.

Now Mr Dermot Smurfit becomes world vice president, marketing and sales, charged with developing an integrated worldwide marketing strategy, serving major multinational companies.

Mr Webster will remain as chairman and chief executive of the Ireland and UK division, reporting to Mr Barrett.

Mr Barrett is currently chief operations officer of the Smurfit Continental European region. He now becomes chief executive of the renamed Smurfit Europe region.

It is the first significant management move since Mr Paddy Wright became president and chief operations officer of the group last year.

Commenting on the move yesterday, Mr Wright said that now that the Celluloss du Pin acquisition had been fully integrated, the timing was right to have one European region for operating and reporting purposes.

Mr Barrett has spent his working life in the packaging industry. He worked with Metal Box, Continental Can and T.I. Group before joining Smurfits as head of its UK Corrugated operation in 1988. He was appointed to his current position in 1993 and takes up his new job on July 1st.

Mr Dermot Smurfit moves to his new position following the resignation earlier this year of Mr David Austin as executive vice president of sales and marketing.

According to Mr Wright, an increasing proportion of group business is coming from major multinationals, which require a uniform standard of packaging and design.

This muse be promoted through a centrally developed and integrated worldwide marketing strategy, he said, and Mr Smurfit's experience in Continental Europe "makes him uniquely suited to take up, this challenging role in the group

Both Mr Smurfit and Mr Barrett will report to Mr Wright, with Mr Barrett continuing to operate from Paris.