Automattic Confirms Mullenweg's Return as CEO After Tumultuous Board Ouster

After a week of confusion, contradictory Slack messages, and a boardroom battle, Automattic has issued a statement confirming that Matt Mullenweg is back as CEO of the WordPress.com parent company.

"Matt Mullenweg is the chairman and CEO of Automattic, with full support of the board," a company spokesperson told TechCrunch via email on Saturday, September 12. The spokesperson added that "if you search online you can see many top executives and Automatticians supporting him as well," referencing supportive posts on X that Mullenweg has been reposting.

The confirmation came two days after the board voted to put Mullenweg on a paid leave of absence for undisclosed reasons. On Wednesday, Mullenweg told staff in Slack that board members had "conspired" behind his back and that CFO Mark Davies had been made interim CEO. An Automattic spokesperson confirmed the leave arrangement to TechCrunch at the time, saying Davies would lead with "full confidence" of the board.

The board's plan quickly unraveled. Mullenweg booted other Slack admins from the company's internal chat and posted a defiant message to the company-wide Announcements channel early Friday: "(Don't call it a comeback…) Howdy everybody! Happy to announce the board is back in agreement, and I'm in control of Automattic. A lot happened in the past 48 hours that we need to sort out, and I hope much of it was a misunderstanding, because I have huge respect and regard for those involved." He linked to LL Cool J's "Mama Said Knock You Out."

At one point, Mullenweg changed his Slack profile picture to a pirate hat and eyepatch and posted, "I'm a pirate now," adding, "If this is an HR problem, please wrangle me in since my normal wranglers are with Mark Davies." Mullenweg famously does not curse, but his recent messages included profanity, sources said.

Davies' Slack account was deactivated as of Friday. TechCrunch also reported hearing that board member Toni Schneider, founding CEO of Automattic who now leads Bluesky, had stepped down, though this could not be confirmed.

When TechCrunch asked Mullenweg if his claim of being back as CEO was legitimate, he promised a blog post was coming. It arrived titled "Major Life Announcement" — and was about him buying a houseboat. When asked if he was trolling, Mullenweg replied, "I'm not a troll I'm a pirate, obviously."

The past two years have seen growing internal turmoil at Automattic, with workers describing chaotic leadership from Mullenweg, including layoffs, loyalty checks, and watermarking messages to track leaks to the press. Mullenweg himself acknowledged the turmoil on X, noting that this was likely the fifth time he has faced a "coup."

Why This Matters

For WordPress users and the open source community: Automattic's governance directly affects the stewardship of WordPress, which powers a significant portion of the web. Leadership instability could impact development priorities and community trust.
For Automattic employees: The past 48 hours have been marked by contradictory messages, deactivated accounts, and a founder who appeared to openly defy his own board. The resolution leaves questions about how the board came to reverse its decision and what internal accountability looks like.
For the broader tech industry: This episode highlights the challenges of founder-led companies where the founder holds significant control, even (or especially) when the board attempts to exert its authority.

Background

Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, WooCommerce, Tumblr, and other web properties, was founded by Matt Mullenweg in 2005. As both founder and chairman, Mullenweg has wielded substantial influence over the company's direction. The relationship between the board and the founder was publicly strained this week when the board voted to place him on paid leave — a move that appeared to backfire when Mullenweg refused to go quietly and instead asserted control over the company's internal communications channels. The board's reversal suggests either that Mullenweg retains enough support — legally or from other stakeholders — to force his return, or that the board concluded the situation was unsustainable.

Key Perspectives

[Matt Mullenweg / Founder and CEO]: Positioned himself as the rightful leader of the company, dismissing the board's action as a "misunderstanding" and suggesting that such challenges are a natural part of building a strong leadership team. His public comments — from the LL Cool J video to the pirate persona — project defiance and an unapologetic style.

[Automattic Board]: Initially voted to remove Mullenweg, installed Davies as interim CEO, and confirmed the decision publicly. By Saturday, the board had fully reversed course, issuing a statement of full support for Mullenweg. The reasons for the ouster and for the reversal remain unknown.

[Automattic Employees / Critics]: Staff have been caught in the middle of a power struggle, with conflicting messages from leadership and an atmosphere of uncertainty. The broader open source community has watched with concern, with some questioning whether the company's governance structure adequately protects the interests of the WordPress project.

What to Watch

Blog post from Mullenweg: He promised a blog post about the situation but instead wrote about buying a houseboat. A more substantive post may clarify what actually happened.
Board composition: Reports that board member Toni Schneider has stepped down, if confirmed, would change the governance dynamics. Future board appointments will be significant.
Employee morale and departures: The chaotic week may prompt key employees to reconsider their positions, especially given the history of loyalty checks and leak-tracking.
Legal or regulatory implications: If the board's initial action was driven by concerns about fiduciary duty or other legal matters, the complete reversal could invite scrutiny from regulators or shareholders.

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