Automattic confirms Mullenweg has returned as CEO after attempted ouster by board
Automattic said Saturday that Matt Mullenweg has resumed his roles as chairman and CEO with the full backing of the company's board, reversing an earlier decision this week to place him on paid leave. The company conveyed the update to TechCrunch via a spokesperson after several days of internal conflict and public posts from Mullenweg.
Why It Matters
Automattic is the parent company of WordPress.com, and the rapid removal and reinstatement of its founder and CEO highlights a significant governance dispute at a major web platform operator that involved internal access changes and public statements from company leadership.
Key Facts
- Company: Automattic (parent company of WordPress.com)
- Executive: Matt Mullenweg
- Current status: Chairman and CEO of Automattic with full support of the board
- Confirmation method: Statement from a company spokesperson to TechCrunch via email just after 5 PM ET on Saturday
- Earlier board action: Board voted to place Mullenweg on a paid leave of absence earlier in the week
Automattic confirmed on Saturday that Matt Mullenweg is again serving as the company’s chairman and CEO and that the board fully supports him. The statement was provided to TechCrunch by a company spokesperson via email shortly after 5 PM ET.
Earlier in the week the board had voted to put Mullenweg on a paid leave of absence; Automattic had told TechCrunch that Chief Financial Officer Mark Davies would serve as interim CEO with the board’s confidence. The leave appeared to come as a surprise to Mullenweg, who accused board members on the company Slack of “conspiring” against him.
Sources told TechCrunch that Mullenweg resisted the board’s move, removing other administrators from the company Slack and asserting he was back in control. During the episode he posted messages including “I’m a pirate now” and later published a blog post about buying a houseboat; he also wrote on X that this was likely the fifth time he’d faced a “coup.”
Automattic did not respond to repeated requests for comment on Friday about the situation or reports that founding CEO-turned-board member Toni Schneider had stepped down. TechCrunch reports that the board’s composition may still be changing as the company answers further questions about recent events.
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Original source: TechCrunch