Matt Mullenweg returns as Automattic CEO after brief board ouster
The WordPress founder resumes control of the company two days after a board vote placed him on paid leave.
WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg has been reinstated as CEO of Automattic just two days after the company's board of directors voted to remove him from his post. The rapid reversal marks a volatile episode for the leadership of one of the web's most influential publishing platforms.
On Wednesday, the board of directors voted to place Mullenweg on a paid leave of absence. During this brief hiatus, CFO Mark Davies was appointed as the interim CEO to manage the company's operations. However, the arrangement lasted only 48 hours. Mullenweg announced his return to the company via Slack, stating that the board is now "back in agreement" and confirming that he is once again in control of Automattic. The return was further confirmed on X by WordPress Executive Director Mary Hubbard.
Internal Conflict and Governance
Automattic serves as the parent company for a suite of major digital properties, including WordPress.com, Tumblr, and Beeper. The sudden leadership shift follows a period of internal friction, during which Mullenweg alleged that CFO Mark Davies had conspired with the board of directors to orchestrate his removal from the company.
Rather than treating the event as a corporate crisis, Mullenweg characterized the board's action as a "coup attempt." He claimed this was the fifth such attempt on his leadership, framing the instability as a sign of a high-performance culture. "If you don’t have a coup attempt every few years, you’re not hiring strong enough leaders," Mullenweg stated.
Industry Implications
The swift ouster and subsequent reinstatement of a founder-CEO suggest significant volatility within Automattic's corporate governance. For a company that manages critical infrastructure for a vast portion of the internet's websites, such instability at the top can raise questions about long-term strategic consistency and the relationship between the founder and the board.
Mullenweg's approach to leadership—treating board-level conflicts as a natural byproduct of hiring "strong" leaders—highlights a non-traditional and potentially contentious management style that deviates from standard corporate norms.
What's Next
While Mullenweg has reclaimed his position, the underlying tensions between the founder and the board remain a point of interest. It is unclear whether the "agreement" reached by the board is a permanent resolution or a temporary truce. Observers will be watching to see if further leadership changes occur or if the company implements new governance structures to prevent future "coup attempts."