Key facts
- Matt Mullenweg claims he has regained control as CEO of Automattic.
- Automattic's board voted to place Mullenweg on a paid leave of absence.
- Mark Davies was appointed interim CEO.
- Mullenweg stated the board is back in agreement.
- Mullenweg suggested the private equity firm Silver Lake was involved in a plan against him.
- Mark Davies' Slack account was deactivated.
Matt Mullenweg, founder and CEO of Automattic, has claimed he has regained control of the WordPress.com parent company, just days after the company's board voted to place him on a leave of absence. Mullenweg posted a message on the company's Slack channel stating that the board is back in agreement and he is in charge, according to a screenshot seen by TechCrunch and confirmed by two sources.
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 against him. He also posted on X that he expected "smear attacks" and referenced a stolen camera at Burning Man.