Automattic’s board forces CEO Matt Mullenweg into leave of absence
Automattic founder and CEO Matt Mullenweg has been placed on a paid leave of absence by the company’s board, a move he says was made against his will in a Slack message seen by TechCrunch. The board appointed Chief Financial Officer Mark Davies as interim CEO, and Automattic confirmed Mullenweg’s leave in an emailed statement.
Why It Matters
The change affects the leader of a company that operates major web platforms and stewards the open-source WordPress project, and comes amid ongoing legal disputes and internal tensions that have recently led to layoffs and employee departures.
Key Facts
- Person placed on leave: Matt Mullenweg, founder and CEO of Automattic
- Interim CEO: Mark Davies, Automattic’s Chief Financial Officer
- Board members named: Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, Sue Decker, and Mark Davies
- Source of first public report: 404 Media first reported the news
- Company confirmation: Automattic emailed that 'Matt Mullenweg is currently on leave from Automattic' and named Mark Davies interim CEO
Automattic’s board has placed founder and CEO Matt Mullenweg on a paid leave of absence, a change Mullenweg said he did not agree to in a company-wide Slack message reviewed by TechCrunch. In that message he alleged the company’s CFO, Mark Davies, worked with other board members to vote for the leave; Mullenweg said he opposed the resolution and requested time to seek independent legal counsel before the board meeting but was denied.
Automattic confirmed the change in an email to TechCrunch, stating that Mullenweg is on leave and that Davies will lead the company as interim CEO. Sources told TechCrunch that Davies remains a member of the board; Toni Schneider, who previously served as Automattic’s CEO, also acknowledged to reporters that the board initiated the action. 404 Media was the first outlet to publish the story.
Leaders of the open-source WordPress project sought to separate the change at the commercial company from community governance. Mary Hubbard, executive director of WordPress.org, sent a message to the wider WordPress community saying the shift at Automattic would not affect the open-source project and that Mullenweg would remain its leader.
The move comes as Automattic has faced a series of legal and internal challenges. The company and Mullenweg are engaged in a legal dispute with hosting rival WP Engine, which sued in October 2024 after Mullenweg demanded royalty payments for use of WordPress branding; Automattic filed counterclaims. Under Mullenweg’s leadership the company has seen employee unrest — in 2024 he told staff who disagreed with him they could leave with severance, and 159 employees took that option — and last year he threatened to deactivate some WordPress.org community accounts amid plans for a fork. Automattic also cut about 16% of its workforce in April 2025, including some long-tenured employees.
Employees reacted unevenly to the announcement, with some former staff telling TechCrunch they felt 'ecstatic' or 'relieved' while others expressed mixed emotions about added instability. It is not publicly known why the board moved now; one person suggested the timing might relate to Mullenweg’s recent return from the annual Burning Man festival, which ended on September 7. TechCrunch said Mullenweg did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
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