Matt Mullenweg Returns as CEO of Automattic After Board Coup Attempt
Quick Look
After a board vote removed Matt Mullenweg as CEO of Automattic earlier in the week, he has returned to the position following internal conflict, including his removal of other admins from company Slack and claims of being a 'pirate.' The board's interim plan with CFO Mark Davies failed as Mullenweg asserted control, though no official comment on his return was provided.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
Matt Mullenweg is the co-founder of WordPress and has been a central figure in Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com. Earlier in the week, the board voted to place him on paid leave of absence, prompting his public accusations of conspiracy.
After a tumultuous week, which saw WordPress founder Matt Mullenweg ousted from his position as CEO of Automattic, WordPress.com’s parent company, by way of a board vote, the company has now issued a statement confirming that Mullenweg has returned to his position.
“Matt Mullenweg is the chairman and CEO of Automattic, with full support of the board and if you search online you can see many top executives and Automatticians supporting him as well,” a company spokesperson shared with TechCrunch via email just after 5 PM ET on Saturday evening. (The mention of online support appears to refer to supportive posts on X that Mullenweg has been reposting from his X account.)
Automattic’s board had voted earlier this week to put Mullenweg on a paid leave of absence for unknown reasons. The move seemingly came as a surprise to Mullenweg, who posted on Automattic’s Slack, accusing the board members of “conspiring” against him.
Automattic confirmed Mullenweg’s removal to TechCrunch on Wednesday, saying that Mullenweg was “currently on leave” and that Automattic’s Chief Financial Officer, Mark Davies, would lead as interim CEO with “full confidence” of the board.
However, the board’s plan did not go smoothly. Seemingly declining to depart, Mullenweg booted other admins out of the company Slack and told employees everything had been worked out and that he was back in control of Automattic, multiple sources told TechCrunch. At one point, he also posted to Slack, “I’m a pirate now” and cursed, which is something Mullenweg famously did not do. “If this is an HR problem, please wrangle me in since my normal wranglers are with Mark Davies,” he wrote.
When TechCrunch asked Mullenweg if his comments about being back as CEO were legitimate, he promised a blog post was coming. When it arrived, however, it was about him buying a houseboat. When we asked if his comments about being back were also him trolling, he replied, “I’m not a troll I’m a pirate, obviously.” Mullenweg never provided any official comment about his return, but noted on X that this was likely the fifth time he’s faced a “coup.”
Automattic also did not respond to repeated requests for comment on Friday, nor to reports we heard about board member Toni Schneider stepping down. Schneider, a founding CEO of Automattic, now leads Bluesky. He did not return requests for comment at his personal email or via requests sent to Bluesky.
We have since asked Automattic again about this and other changes to the board’s composition, which we’re hearing still may be in flux.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Automattic will release an official statement clarifying the board's current stance on Mullenweg's leadership.
Likely · Within days
Toni Schneider's role at Bluesky may be scrutinized due to his founding role at Automattic and recent board departure.
Possible · Within weeks
Open Questions
- What were the specific reasons for the board's initial vote to remove Mullenweg?
- Why did the board reverse its decision and restore Mullenweg as CEO?
- Is Toni Schneider's departure from the board related to the Mullenweg conflict?
- What is the current state of the board's composition after these events?
