Automattic board places CEO Matt Mullenweg on leave

// 1h agoNEWS

Automattic board places CEO Matt Mullenweg on leave

Automattic's board of directors placed CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid leave, appointing CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO. Mullenweg claims the board conspired against him, though he continues leading the open-source WordPress project.

// ANALYSIS

This sudden ouster reveals deep rifts at the top levels of Automattic leadership.

–Mullenweg's description of a "conspiracy" points to an adversarial removal rather than an amicable separation.
–Installing the CFO as interim CEO suggests a potential board mandate for stricter financial controls or a shift in operational strategy.
–With Mullenweg maintaining control over the open-source WordPress project while stepping back from Automattic, the dynamic between the commercial entity and the open-source foundation may face new complexities.

// TAGS

automatticwordpressmatt-mullenwegleadershipceo

DISCOVERED

1h ago

2026-09-10

PUBLISHED

4h ago

2026-09-09

RELEVANCE

9/ 10

AUTHOR

doener

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