Matt Mullenweg Returns as Automattic CEO Two Days After Being Placed on Leave
Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg has reportedly been reinstated as CEO just two days after being placed on a paid leave of absence. According to reports, the board had initially voted for CFO Mark Davies to become interim CEO following internal disagreements. However, in a Slack message seen by TechCrunch, Mullenweg claimed he is now back in control and that there was "back in agreement" among the board. Mullenweg accused Davies of conspiring with the board against him and stated he had voted against his own removal. He also mentioned removing all admins from Automattic’s Slack and deactivating Davies’ account, suggesting a swift reversal of leadership decisions. The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment on these developments. The situation highlights internal turmoil at Automattic, which owns WordPress.com, Tumblr, and Beeper. Mullenweg also posted about the incident on X (formerly Twitter), joking that "if you don’t have a coup attempt every few years, you’re not hiring strong enough leaders."
Topics: Automattic board conflict CEO reinstatement Matt Mullenweg