Automattic Confirms Matt Mullenweg as Chairman and CEO Following Controversial Board Decisions
Automattic’s board initially put Matt Mullenweg on paid leave on Wednesday and appointed its CFO as the interim CEO. However, by Saturday, Automattic confirmed that Mullenweg is now both chairman and CEO with the full support of the board. The company has not provided a reason for these sudden changes.
Mullenweg, the founder and former CEO of Automattic, which owns WordPress.com, first shared the news on his X (formerly Twitter) account. He had previously expressed frustration over what he described as a coup attempt by the board, including accusations of conspiracy by Mark Davies, the CFO who was temporarily appointed CEO.
In a series of posts, Mullenweg defended himself against these allegations and highlighted potential conflicts of interest, specifically mentioning private equity firm Silver Lake, which is the majority owner of WP Engine, a rival hosting company Automattic is suing.
On Friday, Mullenweg took to Automattic’s company-wide announcements channel on Slack to announce: "Happy to announce the board is back in agreement, and I’m in control of Automattic." He attributed much of the chaos to misunderstandings and expressed hope for a resolution.
This dramatic turn of events has left many speculating about the future of Automattic and its open-source projects, with Mullenweg’s supporters cheering his return to leadership.