Forced leave of absence

Automattic's board has ousted founder and CEO Matt Mullenweg, placing him on a paid leave of absence against his wishes.

“I voted against that.”

Mullenweg alleges Slack coup

Mullenweg informed employees via Slack that CFO Mark Davies and three board members plotted his removal without allowing time for legal review.

“@Mark Davies has conspired with @Ann Dunwoody, @Toni, and @Sue Decker behind my back”

Davies named interim CEO

Automattic confirmed that CFO Mark Davies will serve as interim CEO while Mullenweg retains his seat on the board of directors.

“The Board has full confidence in Mark’s leadership and in the team’s ability to execute”

Open source project unaffected

The leadership change only impacts commercial entity Automattic. Mullenweg will continue leading the independent open-source WordPress.org community.

“Matt remains the leader of the WordPress project and I remain Executive Director of WordPress.”

Escalating legal conflicts

The abrupt ouster comes after years of public drama, including a bitter legal battle with WP Engine over revenue demands and trademark usage.

Clashing over corporate culture

Prior to his removal, Mullenweg sparked internal turmoil when 159 employees resigned during a buyout offer, followed by a 16% layoff in 2025.

Employees react to sudden shift

Automattic staff reported feeling ecstatic and relieved by the board's move, though some fear the sudden shakeup creates further instability.