Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg put on leave by board
What's the story
Matt Mullenweg, the founder and CEO of Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, has been put on a forced leave of absence by his own board. The decision was revealed in a Slack message seen by TechCrunch. In the message, Mullenweg accused CFO Mark Davies of conspiring with other board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, and Sue Decker to vote him on a paid leave of absence.
CEO's reaction
Mullenweg accuses board members of conspiracy
Mullenweg expressed his disappointment over the board's decision in a Slack message.
He said, "And the biggest news: I won't 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 further clarified that he was against this decision and wished well for his colleagues.
Official confirmation
Davies appointed as interim CEO
Automattic has confirmed Mullenweg's leave in an email statement to TechCrunch.
The company said, "Matt Mullenweg is currently on leave from Automattic."
It further announced that Davies, Automattic's CFO, will serve as the interim CEO during this period.
The board expressed its full confidence in Davies' leadership and the team's ability to meet the company's priorities.
Ongoing disputes
Legal battles and controversies surrounding Mullenweg and Automattic
In recent years, Mullenweg and Automattic have been embroiled in lawsuits and controversies.
The company is currently fighting a lawsuit from WP Engine, a competitor in the WordPress web hosting space.
The lawsuit stems from allegations that WP Engine has been profiting off the open-source WordPress project without giving back to the community.
Leadership impact
Employee sentiments and mass exodus
Under Mullenweg's leadership, tensions have escalated to the point where he told employees in 2024 that they could quit with severance if they disagreed with him.
This led to 159 employees leaving the company.
Some current employees have expressed happiness over the news of Mullenweg's forced leave while others are less enthusiastic as it brings more uncertainty.