Matt Mullenweg claims control of Automattic after CEO ouster

Previously, Mullenweg had stated that the board had "conspired" against him by voting to place him on a paid leave of absence, with Chief Financial Officer Mark Davies appointed as interim CEO. A spokesperson for Automattic had confirmed Mullenweg's leave and Davies' interim role at the time.

In his new Slack message, Mullenweg said, "A lot happened in the past 48 hours that we need to sort out, and I hope much of it was a misunderstanding, because I have huge respect and regard for those involved." He also shared a link to LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out." Sources also indicated that Mark Davies' Slack account had been deactivated.

Mullenweg had previously suggested on social media that the private equity firm Silver Lake, which has a majority ownership in hosting company WP Engine, was involved in a plan to "destroy" his life. He also posted on X, "Boards are never boring," with a laughing/crying emoji.