Matt Mullenweg reinstated as Automattic CEO after brief paid leave

Matt Mullenweg has been reinstated as chief executive officer of Automattic, the company behind WordPress.com, two days after he was placed on a paid leave of absence. The announcement came via a Slack message that was reported by TechCrunch and corroborated by 404 Media, which also noted that Mullenweg had previously warned staff that CFO Mark Davies had “conspired” with the board to remove him from the role. According to the same Slack exchange, the board had voted to appoint Davies as interim CEO while Mullenweg remained on the board.

In a separate message, Davies confirmed that Mullenweg would continue to serve as a board member. Automattic’s spokesperson told The Verge that Mullenweg was “currently …” in the position of CEO, though the full statement was truncated in the brief. The sequence of events—Mullenweg’s public accusations, the board’s vote, and his swift reinstatement—highlights a rapid turnaround in the company’s leadership dynamics.

The development underscores a contentious period for Automattic, with internal disputes over executive authority and board decisions coming to light. While the company has not issued a detailed public statement, the reinstatement of Mullenweg signals a shift back to his leadership, pending further updates from Automattic or its board. For a complete account, see the full story at The Verge.