Automattic's board of directors has forced founder and CEO Matt Mullenweg into a paid leave of absence, effective September 9, 2026, according to internal Slack messages viewed by multiple news outlets. Chief Financial Officer Mark Davies was voted in as interim CEO. The decision came without Mullenweg's consent and he was given only 50 minutes' notice before the board meeting where the vote occurred.
The article opens with the board's decision to place Mullenweg on leave and install interim CEO Mark Davies; his photograph identifies the central figure of the story immediately after the summary of the leadership change.
Mullenweg announced the news himself in a company-wide Slack channel, writing that Davies had "conspired" with board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, and Sue Decker "behind my back." He noted he voted against the measure and repeatedly requested time to have the resolution reviewed by independent legal counsel, which was denied. Davies, in a follow-up message, said Mullenweg would remain on the board and "have a voice in setting direction and making decisions."
Schneider, who served as Automattic's CEO from 2006 to 2014, confirmed the board initiated the action. In her message to employees, she expressed confidence in Davies's ability to "steer the ship well while Matt is away." Automattic provided an emailed statement confirming the leadership change and the board's "full confidence in Mark's leadership and in the team's ability to execute against the company's priorities."
WordPress.org executive director Mary Hubbard clarified that the open-source WordPress project is separate from the commercial company. "Matt remains the leader of the WordPress project and I remain Executive Director of WordPress. Our teams, priorities, and work continue as planned," she wrote in a message to the WordPress.org community.
The board's decision follows a period of escalating turmoil under Mullenweg's leadership. Since 2024, Automattic has been locked in a legal battle with WP Engine, a WordPress hosting competitor. Mullenweg alleged WP Engine was profiting from the open-source WordPress project without contributing back, demanding an 8% royalty on gross revenue. WP Engine sued in October 2024 for defamation and abuse of power; Automattic filed counterclaims. In February 2025, WP Engine claimed Automattic planned to target ten more competitors with similar royalty demands.
Internal tensions paralleled the external litigation. In 2024, Mullenweg offered employees who disagreed with his stance a severance package—six months' pay or $30,000, whichever was higher—with the condition they lose system access immediately and would not be eligible for rehire. According to 404 Media, 159 employees accepted. Mullenweg subsequently threatened employees who spoke to the press with immediate termination and no severance. In April 2025, Automattic laid off 16% of its staff, including employees with more than a decade of tenure.
Mullenweg also threatened to deactivate accounts of WordPress.org community members who allegedly planned to fork the open-source project. Sources told TechCrunch that accounts of other contributors were deactivated as well, though those involved denied the fork allegations.
The timing of the board's action has drawn speculation. One source noted Mullenweg's annual trip to Burning Man, which ended September 7, after which he reportedly returns "with ideas." Mullenweg's own posts on X (formerly Twitter) on the evening of September 9 referenced allegations that he "spoiled evidence in a malicious way" in the WP Engine lawsuit, which he denied. He also posted about his Nikon D6 camera being stolen at Burning Man and recovered a day later, suggesting he expected "smear attacks" and "National Enquirer rumors or hit pieces."
Employee reactions have been mixed. Some current and former staff described feeling "ecstatic" or "relieved" at the news, while others expressed concern about added instability. One long-time employee, writing publicly, credited Mullenweg with supporting early work on WordPress Playground—an open-source project that runs WordPress in the browser—when others were skeptical, enabling it to grow into a widely used tool.
The leadership change raises questions about governance of the WordPress ecosystem. Mullenweg has maintained significant control over both Automattic and the open-source WordPress project for over two decades. The board's willingness to act against its founder signals a potential shift in that dynamic, though Mullenweg retains his board seat and, per Hubbard, his role leading the WordPress project itself. It remains unclear what precipitated the board's vote at this specific moment, whether the leave is temporary or a precursor to permanent departure, and how the WP Engine litigation will proceed under new leadership.