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Automattic board places founder Matt Mullenweg on leave, names CFO interim CEO

Automattic board places founder Matt Mullenweg on leave, names CFO interim CEO

Money Moves

Mullenweg reversed the ouster in 33 hours, rebuilt the board, and now faces a federal antitrust trial

September 25th, 2026: Mullenweg installs new board

Overview

Updated Oct 6

Automattic's board voted September 9 to put founder Matt Mullenweg on paid leave and name CFO Mark Davies interim CEO. Mullenweg was back in charge 33 hours and 20 minutes later, and he replaced the directors who tried to remove him.

Mullenweg now runs the company with a board that includes 'Silo' author Hugh Howey and two co-founders of the shut-down social app IRL. On September 25, a federal judge revived WP Engine's antitrust claims against him; the trial is set for October 2027.

Why it matters

WordPress runs 40% of the web. Its founder fought off his own board and now faces a federal antitrust trial over the open-source project.

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Key Indicators

33h 20m
Length of Mullenweg's ouster
Automattic confirmed Mullenweg was away from the CEO role for exactly 33 hours and 20 minutes before returning.
159
Employees who took severance in October 2024
Mullenweg offered buyouts to staff who disagreed with his WP Engine direction; 159 accepted.
16%
Workforce reduction announced April 2025
Automattic said the cut was needed to improve productivity and profitability.
41.9%
Share of all websites powered by WordPress
The CMS still dominates the web, though its market share has declined in recent years.
4-1
Board vote to place Mullenweg on paid leave
Davies, Dunwoody, Schneider, and Decker voted yes; Mullenweg voted against. All four are off the board now.
84%
Mullenweg's voting power in Automattic
Mullenweg said at TechCrunch Disrupt in October 2024 that he held 84% of Automattic's voting power, enough to reverse the board's decision.

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People Involved

Matt Mullenweg
Matt Mullenweg
Founder, CEO, and chairman of Automattic; leader of the WordPress open-source project
Back as CEO and chairman after reversing the board's September 9 ouster; replaced most of the board
MD
Mark Davies
Former chief financial officer
Removed as CFO after the failed ouster; no longer with the company
 Toni Schneider
Toni Schneider
Former Automattic board member; former CEO (2006–2014)
Resigned from the board after the failed ouster attempt
 Mary Hubbard
Mary Hubbard
Executive director of the WordPress open-source project
Confirmed the WordPress project is unaffected by Mullenweg's leave

Organizations Involved

Automattic
Automattic
Private technology company
Mullenweg back as CEO and chairman with a rebuilt board

A commercial parent of WordPress.com, Tumblr, WooCommerce, and Pocket Casts.
WordPress
WordPress
Open-source project
Mullenweg remains its leader; project operations unaffected

The open-source content management system that powers more than 40% of websites.
WP Engine
WP Engine
WordPress hosting company
Four antitrust claims reinstated; trial set for October 2027

A web hosting provider and Automattic's chief legal adversary over WordPress trademark use.

Timeline

September 2024 September 2026

12 events Latest: September 25th, 2026 · 2 months ago Showing 8 of 12
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Mullenweg installs new board

    Latest Governance

    Mullenweg announced a new board including 'Silo' author Hugh Howey, 'Breakup Bootcamp' author Amy Chan, and IRL co-founders Henry Khatachryan and Krutal Desai. The company also retained Susman Godfrey as litigation counsel.

  2. Judge revives WP Engine antitrust claims

    Legal

    US District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín reversed her April 2025 dismissal of WP Engine's antitrust claims, reinstating four counts: monopolization, attempted monopolization, and two tying charges. Trial is set for October 2027.

  3. Remaining board members leave

    Governance

    Mullenweg removed Sue Decker and Gen. Ann Dunwoody from the board; Toni Schneider resigned. CFO Mark Davies and Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan were also let go.

  4. Mullenweg tells staff he's back in control

    Governance

    Mullenweg announced on Automattic's Slack that he was back as CEO and chairman, about 33 hours and 20 minutes after the board voted to put him on leave. Automattic confirmed the return the next day.

  5. Board places Mullenweg on paid leave

    Governance

    Automattic's board votes 4-1 to place Mullenweg on paid leave against his will; Mark Davies becomes interim CEO.

  6. Burning Man festival ends

    Context

    A person close to the situation speculated timing may relate to Mullenweg's annual Burning Man trip ending.

  7. WP Engine seeks sanctions over missing messages

    Legal

    WP Engine alleges Mullenweg's communications from the case period are missing due to failed backups and lost devices; hearing set for September 30.

  8. Automattic cuts 16% of staff

    Company

    The company announces layoffs of about a sixth of its workforce to improve productivity and profitability.

  9. Judge orders WP Engine access restored

    Legal

    Federal judge orders Automattic and Mullenweg to restore WP Engine's access to WordPress.org resources and a key plugin.

  10. WP Engine sues Automattic

    Legal

    WP Engine accuses Automattic and Mullenweg of defamation and abuse of power.

  11. 159 employees take Mullenweg's severance offer

    Company

    Mullenweg invites staff who disagree with his direction to quit with severance; 159 accept.

  12. Mullenweg demands royalty from WP Engine

    Dispute

    Mullenweg publicly demands WP Engine pay 8% of monthly gross revenue for using the WordPress brand.

Scenarios

1

Automattic names permanent CEO as Mullenweg's leave becomes an exit

Likely Resolves by Jun 1, 2027

Discussed by: TechCrunch, 404 Media, The Verge — all report the board acted against Mullenweg's will, a sign the departure is meant to be permanent

The board replaces Mullenweg permanently, either promoting Mark Davies or hiring externally. Mullenweg keeps his board seat and WordPress leadership, deepening the split between company and open-source project. This mirrors most founder ousters, where a forced leave is a precursor to formal removal.

2

Mullenweg returns as CEO after his leave

Unlikely Resolves by Jun 1, 2027

Discussed by: A person close to the situation told TechCrunch the timing may be tied to Mullenweg's annual Burning Man trip, suggesting the ouster may not be final

The board reinstates Mullenweg, possibly after negotiations or after his legal leverage over the WordPress project forces the directors' hand. Mullenweg's continued control of WordPress.org gives him unusual bargaining power — the company's products depend on infrastructure he personally governs.

3

Mullenweg challenges the board in court

Possible Resolves by Jan 15, 2027

Discussed by: Byteiota and other coverage note the WP Engine sanctions motion and Mullenweg's combative legal posture; a founder fight with his own board is a common next step

Mullenweg files suit in Delaware over the board's removal, arguing breach of fiduciary duty or a flawed process. He told employees he asked for time to review the resolution with independent counsel and was denied — a claim that could anchor a legal challenge.

4

WP Engine antitrust case reaches a jury

Likely Resolves by Oct 31, 2027

Discussed by: US District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín set the trial date; WP Engine's four reinstated claims are the core of the case

The trial is scheduled for October 2027. The surviving claims ask a jury to decide whether Mullenweg's control of WordPress.org amounts to illegal monopolization. Settlement before then would end this scenario.

5

Sanctions ruling lands against Mullenweg

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: WP Engine's July 2026 sanctions motion and the September 30 hearing before Magistrate Judge Ajay Krishnan

WP Engine alleges Mullenweg failed to preserve WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram messages relevant to the case. Automattic says it produced over 225,000 documents and WP Engine cannot identify a single missing case-relevant message. A sanctions ruling could affect evidence or credibility at trial.

Historical Context

3 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

September 1985

Steve Jobs ousted from Apple (1985)

After a power struggle with CEO John Sculley and the board, Apple stripped Jobs of his operational role. He resigned and founded NeXT, taking several Apple engineers with him.

Then

Apple lost its visionary founder and floundered for a decade; Jobs built NeXT and later bought Pixar.

Now

Apple acquired NeXT in 1997 and Jobs returned, eventually saving the company with the iMac and iPhone.

Why this matters now

A founder removed by his own board retains enormous institutional power; the question is whether that power pulls him back in or drives a permanent split.

October 2008

Jack Dorsey fired as Twitter CEO (2008)

Twitter's board pushed co-founder and CEO Jack Dorsey out, replacing him with Evan Williams. Dorsey stayed on the board as chairman.

Then

Twitter grew under new leadership but Dorsey remained a visible figure and board chairman.

Now

Dorsey returned as CEO in 2015 and led Twitter through its IPO before stepping down in 2021.

Why this matters now

A forced founder exit is not always permanent; board dynamics can reverse, especially when the founder retains board and project authority.

June 2017

Travis Kalanick forced out of Uber (2017)

Under pressure from investors over scandals involving harassment, a faulty self-driving program, and a hostile culture, Uber's board forced founder-CEO Travis Kalanick to resign.

Then

Uber hired Dara Khosrowshahi as CEO; Kalanick left the board in 2019.

Now

Kalanick never returned to an operating role at Uber, though he fought for influence through his board seat for two years.

Why this matters now

The closest parallel: a founder removed during a legal and reputational crisis, whose board seat gave him lingering influence but no operational control.

Sources

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