Desmond O'Rourke is a Chartered Marketer who started his marketing career at Letraset where he was responsible for commissioning major international market research studies and later for international design rights, royalties, new product launches and design publications related to typography and the graphic arts.

Desmond has extensive experience of communications and sales and has run major PR events and edited corporate magazines. Fifteen ago he undertook a teaching qualification and after completing a MA in marketing he joined LCC in 1998 to assist in the launch of the heritage publishing postgraduate portfolio to MA level. He is active in the Association for Publishing Education and has run various initiatives with the Arts Council and others to widen diversity in publishing employment.