Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg has been put on a paid leave of absence by the company's board, citing unspecified reasons. Mark Davies, current CFO, will take over as interim CEO, with full support from the board. The decision was voted on just 50 minutes prior to the meeting start, despite Mullenweg's request for more time to review it. Approximately 159 employees took a buyout offer made by Mullenweg in 2024.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-10,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of Automattic (the parent company of WordPress), has been put on a paid leave of absence by the company's board of directors. According to an announcement made by Mullenweg himself in a company-wide Slack channel, he was voted out of his position as CEO and replaced with current Chief Financial Officer Mark Davies, who will serve as interim CEO. Mullenweg claimed that he had only 50 minutes' notice before the vote took place and was denied time to review the resolution by independent legal counsel. The board members involved in the decision were Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, and Sue Decker. Despite being removed as CEO, Mullenweg will reportedly remain a member of the board of directors and retain some influence over company direction. This move comes amid controversy surrounding Mullenweg's leadership of Automattic in recent years.
Written for “Automattic CEO Controversy” on 2026-09-10,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 7442 · logged 2026-09-10
On a company-wide Slack this morning, Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg announced he has been put on a paid leave of absence.
asserted
he → announce → absence
“And the biggest news: I won't be able to make the ELT tomorrow,” Matt wrote in an Announcement Slack.
asserted
Matt → make → Slack
He continued, writing that Mark Davies, current Automattic Chief Financial Officer, has “conspired” with Automattic Board of Directors members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, and Sue Decker “behind my back and they voted to put me on a paid leave of absence.
asserted
they → continue → absence
I voted against that.”
asserted
I → vote → that
He wrote that Davies was voted to be the new interim CEO.
asserted
Davies → write → ?
“I received the resolution 50 minutes before the meeting start, and requested repeatedly for time to have it reviewed by independent legal counsel, even a few hours, which was denied,” Mullenweg wrote.
asserted
Mullenweg → receive → counsel
Mullenweg is the founder of Automattic, the company that owns WordPress, Tumblr, Pocket Casts, and a host of other popular internet brands and pieces of software.
asserted
that → own → software
Mullenweg has faced several controversies over his management of the company in recent years.
asserted
Mullenweg → face → years
In the same Slack channel, Davies wrote that Mullenweg would remain a board member and “he will have a voice in setting direction and making decisions.”
asserted
he → write → decisions
"As you have seen from Matt's previous messages, Automattic's board has decided to ask Matt to step away from his CEO role and take a leave of absence,” Schneider wrote following Mullenweg’s message.
asserted
Schneider → see → message
“We have asked Mark Davies to assume the interim CEO role while Matt is out.
asserted
Matt → ask → role
We've worked closely with Mark over the years and we're confident he will steer the ship well while Matt is away.
asserted
Matt → work → ship
I'm sure you will have many questions and Mark and your leadership team will be available to answer them.”
asserted
Mark → have → them
“I want to thank Matt for his support and I intend to support him, the Board, Automattic, and our customers during this interim situation,” Davies wrote in that Slack channel.
asserted
Davies → want → channel
“It will take me some time to come up to speed, but we'll move forward with transparency, communication, and teamwork.”
asserted
we → take → transparency
He wrote that nothing will change as a result of Mullenweg’s leave.
asserted
nothing → write → leave
Mullenweg, Schneider, and Davies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
asserted
Mullenweg → respond → comment
An Automattic spokesperson confirmed the above to 404 Media in a statement: "Matt Mullenweg is currently on leave from Automattic.
asserted
Mullenweg → confirm → Automattic
Mark Davies, Automattic’s CFO, will lead the company as interim CEO.
asserted
Davies → lead → CEO
The Board has full confidence in Mark's leadership and in the team's ability to execute against the company's priorities."
asserted
Board → have → priorities
For the last few years, Mullenweg has waged a divisive legal battle with WP Engine, sparing publicly with opponents and peers on social media and in his personal blog.
asserted
Mullenweg → wag → blog
In 2024, he made an “Alignment Offer,” giving Automattic employees who disagreed with his stances the option to take six months of pay or $30,000, whichever was higher, with the stipulation that they would lose access to their work logins that same evening and would not be eligible for rehire.
asserted
they → make → rehire
One hundred and fifty-nine people took the offer and left.
asserted
people → take → offer
He then made another buyout offer, and threatened employees who spoke to the press with termination, saying, “exit gracefully, or be fired tomorrow with no severance.”
asserted
who → make → severance
Most recently, Automattic attempted to claim it owns the word “automatic.”
uncertain
it → attempt → word
