The most powerful female magazine executives in the global magazine industry will speak at the International Federation of the Periodical Press  World Magazine Congress, taking place in London next month.

Cathie Black, the president of Hearst Magazines, publishers of Cosmopolitan, Harper's BAZAAR and Marie Claire and owners of Britain's The National Magazine Company, will address the conference, during the conference which runs from 4 to 6 May, sharing her insights on "the magic of magazines".

Black is dubbed "the first lady of American magazines" and "one of the leading figures in American publishing."  She helped to launch O, the Oprah Winfrey magazine and recently wrote a book entitled "Basic Black": The Essential Guide for Getting Ahead at Work (and in Life)" explaining how she achieved professional accomplishment and personal contentment and how women can seize opportunities in the workplace. Black made publishing history in 1979 when she became the first woman publisher of a weekly consumer magazine: New York.
Other ladies set to share their success stories are Christie Hefner, the former chairman and chief executive of Playboy Enterprises and Carolyn McCall, chief executive of Guardian Media Group, publisher of MediaGuardian.co.uk.

The news comes as men magazine seem to be struggling to survive dwindling sales. Maxim, the mid-1990s lads' magazine, today announced its last print edition is planned for this month, going ‘online only' in Britain from next month. Men's style magazine Arena announced its closure last month.

The question why women magazines still do well will undoubtedly be answered at the conference next month.