Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg 'forced' into leave of absence by WordPress parent company board

Date:
Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:05:00 +0000

Description:
Mullenweg apparently forced out as CEO we don't know when (or if) he will return.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Matt Mullenweg accuses Automattic board of conspiring against him Former CEO is now in a period of paid leave His role at WordPress.org is currently unaffected Automattic CEO and founder Matt Mullenweg has been placed on a paid leave of absence by the company's board, but while this is currently being seen as a temporary measure, Automattic has not publicly stated how long the leave will last.

The reason for the board's decision remains unclear, but TechCrunch reports that some employees were "ecstatic" or "relieved" at the decision. However, Mullenweg is clearly unhappy with the decision, alleging that the board gave him 50 minutes' notice before the meeting and insufficient time to seek legal counsel. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here: Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid absence Mullenweg remains a member of Automattic's board, but claimed in a company-wide Slack message seen by TechCrunch that
CFO Mark Davies had "conspired" with board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider and Sue Decker to remove him temporarily. Mullenweg, a board
member, voted against the change but was, of course, outvoted. Davies has
been appointed interim CEO in the meantime.

"I wont be able to make the [meeting] tomorrow. @Mark Davies has conspired with @Ann Dunwoody, @Toni, and @Sue Decker behind my back and they voted to put me on a paid leave of absence," he said. You may like OpenAI data center chief leaves the company as exec exodus continues Amid reports of closures to Ninja Theory and Compulsion Games, Xbox Game Studios CEO Craig Duncan is stepping down from the role after less than two years Meta CTO says AI productivity gains should now mean we're all doing more work - not taking
time off

"Matt remains the leader of the WordPress project and I remain Executive Director of WordPress. Our teams, priorities, and work continue as planned," WordPress.org executive director Mary Hubbard wrote. WordPress.com (an Automattic product) runs on WordPress.org.

While the reasons have not been publicly shared, Mullenweg hasn't been short of the odd high-profile incident in recent years. He accused WP Engine of profiting from the WordPress ecosystem , which resulted in WP Engine suing Automattic and Mullenweg . Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro newsletter to get all the top news, opinion, features
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He also offered insiders who disagreed with his direction an exit package worth either six months' pay or $30,000, mounting internal tensions.

TechRadar Pro has sought further information from Automattic, but the
company did not immediately respond. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/automattic-ceo-matt-mullenweg-forced-into-leave- of-absence-by-wordpress-parent-company-board


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