Matt Mullenweg Reassumes Role as CEO of Automattic Just Two Days After Departure

Just two days after being placed on paid leave, Matt Mullenweg has been reinstated as CEO of Automattic, as confirmed in a Slack message. WordPress Executive Director Mary Hubbard also announced Mullenweg’s return in a post on X, which he shared.

Earlier in the week, Mullenweg informed staff via Slack that CFO Mark Davies had “conspired” with the board to vote him onto paid leave, a decision he opposed. He mentioned that the board had appointed Davies as interim CEO. In a separate message, Davies indicated that Mullenweg would remain a board member. An Automattic spokesperson had previously stated that Mullenweg was “currently on leave” and confirmed Davies’ interim role.

In the message seen by others, Mullenweg noted that the board is “back in agreement” and that he is “in control of Automattic.” He expressed hope that the events of the past 48 hours were largely misunderstandings, emphasizing his respect for those involved. Reports indicate that Davies’ Slack account has been deactivated and that Mullenweg removed all admins from Automattic’s Slack.

Mullenweg also shared his thoughts on the situation late Thursday evening, humorously stating that “If you don’t have a coup attempt every few years, you’re not hiring strong enough leaders,” and mentioned that this was likely his fifth such experience. Additionally, he published a blog post titled “Major Life Announcement” regarding an offer to buy a houseboat.