Automattic has confirmed that founder Matt Mullenweg is back as chairman and CEO with the board’s support, days after directors voted to place him on paid leave and appointed CFO Mark Davies as interim chief executive. The company later said Mullenweg had been away for only 33 hours and 20 minutes.
Automattic’s current official press materials again list Mullenweg as founder and CEO and Davies as CFO. The company has not publicly explained why the board initially placed Mullenweg on leave or what changed to restore him to the position.
Board Dispute Lasted Just Over a Day
Earlier in the week, Mullenweg told employees through Slack that Davies and board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider and Sue Decker had voted to place him on leave against his wishes. He said he received the resolution 50 minutes before the meeting and was denied additional time to seek independent legal advice.
Automattic initially confirmed that Mullenweg was on leave and said Davies would lead the company as interim CEO with the board’s full confidence. Mullenweg remained a member of the board during that period.
The transition quickly became unsettled. Multiple sources told TechCrunch that Mullenweg later removed other administrators from Automattic’s Slack and told employees that the board was back in agreement and he had regained control of the company.
Mullenweg also made several unusual comments during the dispute, describing himself as a “pirate” and later saying on X that this may have been the fifth attempted “coup” he had experienced. WordPress.org executive director Mary Hubbard separately said she was pleased to see him return as Automattic CEO.
Questions Remain Over Automattic’s Board
Automattic has not provided details about whether the dispute resulted in changes to its board. Reports have raised questions about the status of Toni Schneider, Automattic’s founding CEO and the current CEO of Bluesky, but neither Schneider nor Automattic has publicly confirmed whether he remains a director.
The company’s board page currently lists Mullenweg alongside directors including Dunwoody and other members. Automattic said it could not comment on specific individuals but expressed appreciation for everyone involved and said it remained focused on operating with Mullenweg leading the company.
The episode followed several years of internal and legal disputes at Automattic, including its continuing litigation with WordPress hosting company WP Engine. Automattic has not said whether that dispute played any role in the board’s decision to place Mullenweg on leave or in his subsequent return.
Featured image credits: Wikimedia Commons
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