Matt Mullenweg, the founder and chief executive of Automattic, has been placed on a leave of absence by the company’s board of directors, a move he described as being taken against his will. The decision was announced Wednesday evening in a Slack message visible to all employees, in which Mullenweg alleged that Chief Financial Officer Mark Davies conspired with fellow board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, and Sue Decker to vote for his unpaid leave.
In the message, Mullenweg stated he had voted against the resolution and expressed frustration that he received the paperwork only 50 minutes before a scheduled meeting, with requests for additional time to consult independent legal counsel denied. He added that Davies would serve as interim CEO.
While Mullenweg’s post did not specify the rationale behind the board’s action, sources indicated to 404 Media that the move was board-initiated. Automattic confirmed the leadership change in an email statement, asserting that the board has “full confidence” in Davies’s ability to lead the company. The statement read: “Matt Mullenweg is currently on leave from Automattic. Mark Davies, Automattic’s CFO, will lead the company as interim CEO. The Board has full confidence in Mark’s leadership and in the team’s ability to execute against the company’s priorities.”
Mark Davies also addressed staff via Slack, confirming that Mullenweg remains a member of the board of directors. Meanwhile, Mary Hubbard, executive director of the open-source WordPress.org community, clarified that the non-profit project remains unaffected. “Matt remains the leader of the WordPress project and I remain Executive Director of WordPress. Our teams, priorities, and work continue as planned,” Hubbard wrote.
The leadership shakeup comes after years of turbulence for Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com, Tumblr, WooCommerce, and Pocket Casts. The firm has been engaged in a protracted legal battle with competitor WP Engine since Mullenweg accused the hosting giant of profiting from the open-source WordPress project without contributing to the community. Mullenweg initially demanded an 8% royalty fee on WP Engine’s gross revenue, prompting WP Engine to file suit in October 2024 alleging defamation and abuse of power. Automattic filed counterclaims last year, and in February, WP Engine alleged that Automattic planned to pursue similar royalty claims against 10 additional competitors.
Internal strife has also marked Mullenweg’s tenure. In late 2024, amid escalating tensions with WP Engine, Mullenweg told employees they could quit with severance if they disagreed with his strategic direction; 159 employees accepted the offer. The following year, he threatened to deactivate accounts of several WordPress.org community members who proposed creating a forked version of the open-source software. Additionally, in April 2025, the company laid off approximately 16% of its workforce, including some long-tenured staff.
Reaction among Automattic employees regarding the current development has been mixed. While some described themselves as “ecstatic” or “relieved” by the news, others expressed concern over increased instability. The timing of the leave has led to speculation that it may be linked to Mullenweg’s annual attendance at the Burning Man festival, which concluded on September 7. As of press time, Mullenweg had not responded to requests for comment.
Fifty minutes notice? That’s not due process, that’s a power grab disguised as governance.
Thank goodness WordPress.org stays separate. The open-source project must survive this.
Leaving 159 people and now his own CFO? This company is a mess.
Interesting timing with Burning Man. Hope the board handles this transparently.