A week after Automattic's board placed CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid leave for 33 hours before he resumed control, employees remain uninformed about the board's reasons. Staff have learned details only from media reports, including the departures of CFO Mark Davies and Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan, who received $8.15 million in severance packages signed during Mullenweg's brief absence.
Automattic's board placed CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid leave on September 9, but he returned 33 hours later after accusing CFO Mark Davies of conspiring with board members. During Mullenweg's absence, Davies and Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan signed reciprocal severance agreements worth $8.15 million combined, which Mullenweg then fired them over upon his return.
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg was placed on leave and temporarily replaced by CFO Mark Davies, but was reinstated after just 33 hours with no public explanation from the company. Industry observers speculate it may have been a failed boardroom coup, though the exact circumstances remain undisclosed, raising questions about governance clarity and employee confidence.
Automattic's board resigned after failing to oust CEO Matt Mullenweg via a paid leave vote. Mullenweg regained control within 33 hours, and board members Toni Schneider, Sue Decker, and Gen. Ann Dunwoody have departed. The board shakeup follows an ongoing trademark dispute between Automattic and WordPress hosting company WP Engine.
WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg was ousted as CEO of Automattic by board vote but returned to his position within days after removing other admins from company Slack and asserting control. The company confirmed his reinstatement as chairman and CEO with full board support, though Mullenweg provided no official statement and instead posted cryptic messages about being a 'pirate' and buying a houseboat.
Matt Mullenweg was reinstated as Automattic CEO just two days after the board voted to place him on paid leave and appoint CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO. Mullenweg announced his return via Slack and social media, claiming the board was "back in agreement" and that he had removed key admins from the company's systems.