Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg placed on paid leave, CFO steps in as interim chief

Matt Mullenweg, the chief executive of WordPress.com parent company Automattic, has been placed on a paid leave of absence, a move first reported by 404 Media. In an internal message, Mullenweg claimed that Automattic's chief financial officer, Mark Davies, worked together with several board members to push through the decision.

According to Mullenweg, the board members who voted for his leave were Davies, along with Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, and Sue Decker. Mullenweg said he voted against the move himself.

Mullenweg, who also co-founded the open-source WordPress.org project, has led Automattic since 2014. In 2024, he launched a public pressure campaign against a major WordPress hosting provider, a controversial move that split the open-source community and triggered a legal dispute that remains unresolved.

Company confirms the decision

Automattic spokesperson Megan Fox confirmed the leave in a statement, saying Mullenweg is currently away from the company and that Davies will serve as interim CEO in his absence. Fox added that the board has full confidence in Davies' leadership and in the team's ability to keep executing on the company's priorities.

Board member Toni Schneider explained on the company's internal message board that the board had asked Mullenweg to step back from his CEO duties temporarily, while Davies was asked to take on the interim role. Schneider said the board has worked closely with Davies over the years and is confident he can steer the company well during Mullenweg's absence.

According to 404 Media, Mullenweg will continue to serve on Automattic's board despite no longer running day-to-day operations for now.