This twice married, self-made billionaire publisher and philanthropist is a polarising force. Desmond’s portfolio has at various times included titles as diverse as the Daily Express, OK!, Asian Babes and Penthouse and this is used against him by enemies like Tom Bower who have also claimed that he’s “violent and dishonest”. Though some might loathe this Montecristo loving tycoon for his “devil don’t care attitude”, we salute him for taking a “no prisoners” approach and for standing up against the “useless, backbiting” Press Complaints Commission and the hapless Leveson inquiry. He occasionally drums with Roger Daltrey and of Rupert Murdoch states: “I like [him] because he’s bold and has a go and he leads from the front”.

The Roll Call - TYCOONS

1

Sarah Winchester (née Pardee, 1839 – 1922)

2

Hetty Green (AKA Henrietta Green, ‘The Witch of Wall Street,’ née Henrietta Robinson, 1834 – 1916)

3

Denise Coates

4

Trevor Hemmings CVO

5

Herb Chambers (born Herbert G. Chambers)

6

Leslie Wexner (AKA “Les” Wexner)

7

Nicolas Berggruen (AKA “The Homeless Billionaire”)

8

Sir Martin Sorrell (AKA “The Third Brother”)

9

John Pappajohn

10

Sir John Ritblat FRICS, FSVA

11

Rich Ricci

12

Richard Desmond (nicknamed “Mr Badger”)

13

Howard Raymond

14

Richard Caring

15

Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken

16

Urs Schwarzenbach

17

Wafic Saïd

18

James Sherwood

19

Crispin Odey

20

Vincent Tchenguiz

21

Leona Helmsley (1920 – 2007)

22

Gina Rinehart

23

Alan Miller

24

Owen Oyston

25

Robert Maxwell (1923 – 1991)

26

Sidney Frank (1919 – 2006)

27

Nick & Christian Candy

28

Rupert Murdoch