Auton joined IPC in 1977 as a marketer and rose through the ranks to the chief executive by 2003. Her career has included the role of managing director of IPC's men's division, Inspire, and two changes in the company’s ownership.
She was a key figure in the company’s acquisition by media giant Time Warner for £1.15bn in 2001, then the biggest transatlantic media sale ever made.
In 2007, Auton became executive vice president of Time Inc, Time Warner’s magazine division, and split her time between the role in New York and London, continuing to oversee IPC as chairman.
She returned to the UK in 2011 to resume her role as chief executive, replacing Evelyn Webster who moved to become executive vice president of Time Inc’s lifestyle group.
Auton said: "One of the best things about being part of the media industry has always been – and continues to be – the opportunity to grow within it, and during these 36 years, I’ve been part of as dramatic an evolution as you’ll find in any business anywhere.
"With vision, with the best people working as a team, with great brands and with hard, hard work, IPC has become one of the most successful and influential media companies in the UK, a company that leads the way in creativity, innovation and market insight. I am proud to have been part of the IPC story and proud of all the people I have had the privilege to work with."
An IPC spokeswoman said a successor would be announced in due course.
Webster said: "Sylvia has been a true inspiration to me and to many, many others at IPC. She transformed IPC from what many people called ‘The Ministry of Magazines’ into the modern, multi-platform media company it is today."
The announcement comes a month after Time Warner announced plans to spin off Time Inc into an independent publishing company by the end of the year. As well as IPC, Time Inc owns Entertainment Weekly and the eponymously named news weekly, Time.
The announcement comes a month after Time Warner announced As well as IPC, Time Inc owns Entertainment Weekly and the eponymously named news weekly, Time.
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