Key facts
- Automattic founder and CEO Matt Mullenweg has been placed on a paid leave of absence by the company's board.
- Mullenweg stated he voted against the board's decision and was denied legal counsel.
- Chief Financial Officer Mark Davies has been appointed interim CEO.
- WordPress.org stated that Mullenweg remains the leader of the WordPress project.
- Automattic confirmed Mullenweg's leave and Davies' interim CEO role.
- The company has been involved in lawsuits with competitor WP Engine.
Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, Tumblr, WooCommerce, and Pocket Casts, has placed its founder and CEO, Matt Mullenweg, on a paid leave of absence. The decision was made by the company's board of directors against Mullenweg's wishes, according to a Slack message he posted to employees. Mullenweg stated that Chief Financial Officer Mark Davies conspired with board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, and Sue Decker to vote him out, and that he was denied legal counsel before the vote.
Davies has been appointed interim CEO. A separate message from Mary Hubbard, executive director of WordPress.org, confirmed Mullenweg's change in status at the commercial company but stated that the open-source project remains unaffected and Mullenweg continues as its leader.
Automattic confirmed Mullenweg's leave in an emailed statement to TechCrunch, expressing full confidence in Davies' leadership. The company has faced recent controversies, including a protracted legal battle with web hosting competitor WP Engine, allegations of defamation, and a directive from Mullenweg for employees who disagreed with him to quit. In April 2025, Automattic laid off 16% of its staff.
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