Matt Mullenweg Reportedly Returns as Automattic CEO Just Two Days After Being Placed on Leave

Overview

According to a Slack message obtained by TechCrunch, Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg announced his return as CEO just two days after being placed on paid leave. The power struggle surrounding the leadership of Automattic — the parent company of WordPress — underwent a dramatic reversal in a matter of days.

404 Media first reported the story on Wednesday. According to their coverage, Mullenweg told employees via the company's Slack that CFO Mark Davies had "conspired" with the board, which then voted to place him on leave. This sequence of events laid bare a deep rift within Automattic's leadership.

Timeline of the Power Reversal

Based on publicly available information, the conflict unfolded at a remarkably rapid pace. Mullenweg was first voted into a paid leave of absence by the board, after which he publicly accused CFO Mark Davies of "conspiring" with board members. Just two days later, he announced via Slack to all employees that he had been reinstated as CEO.

This kind of compressed "suspension-then-return" cycle is unusual in tech company governance. It typically signals either intense infighting within the board, or that the founder still holds critical control and influence over the company. As Automattic's co-founder and long-time leader, Mullenweg's position is clearly not one that can be easily dislodged.

Why This Story Matters

Automattic is the commercial entity behind WordPress, the open-source content management system that powers a substantial share of websites worldwide. Mullenweg himself is a prominent figure in the open-source community. Any turbulence at the top of the company therefore has the potential to create ripple effects across the WordPress ecosystem and among the developers and content creators who depend on it.

A public clash between a founder and the board and CFO often exposes fragile points in a company's governance structure. The fact that Mullenweg chose to use a term as charged as "conspired" in a company-wide Slack message — bringing internal tensions directly into the open — suggests the two sides had reached an impasse that could no longer be resolved through conventional channels.

Questions That Remain Unanswered

As of now, several key questions surrounding this incident have yet to be clearly answered: Why did the board initially decide to place Mullenweg on leave? What role did CFO Mark Davies play in the process? And through what mechanism was Mullenweg able to return within just two days? These details have not been fully disclosed.

It is worth noting that the information in this article is primarily drawn from Slack messages relayed by TechCrunch and reporting by 404 Media — making this a "reportedly" situation. Automattic has not yet issued a comprehensive official statement. As more information comes to light, the full picture of what happened may become clearer.

Summary

This leadership upheaval at the parent company of WordPress illustrates a classic tension in founder-led tech companies when it comes to governance. Mullenweg's swift return reflects both his deep roots within Automattic and suggests that internal fault lines within the company's management may still need time to heal. For those following open-source ecosystems and tech company governance, the ongoing developments in this story are well worth watching.