Desmond founded Northern & Shell in 1974 and launched a magazine called International Musician and Recording World.

[5][6] The company's business model for pornographic magazines focussed on specialisation and niche publishing, with multiple titles produced at low cost and targeted at particular tastes.

When the company moved to the Northern & Shell Tower in Canary Wharf, the Duke of Edinburgh opened the offices.

Northern & Shell's "portfolio" of soft-porn magazines was offered for sale in 2001 in order to provide cash to invest in the then newly acquired Express Newspapers group.

It was unsuccessful in its bid for The Telegraph, losing out to David and Frederick Barclay, who had long sought to own the paper.

Inside the building features some wonderful interior lifts with panoramic views overlooking the foyer.