Slack message: Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg says CFO Mark Davies "conspired" with board members to put him on paid leave and Davies was voted to be interim CEO (Samantha Cole/404 Media)
ThinkingNews Desk · how this was written
Automattic’s board has placed CEO Matt Mullenweg on a leave of absence. The move was reported as a decision by the board, with Mullenweg’s status changed to paid leave. No further details about the circumstances or future leadership have been disclosed.
Written from all 4 reports below, not from any single one.
How it was reported
- Hacker News·Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg Put on 'Leave of Absence'
- TechMeme·Slack message: Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg says CFO Mark Davies "conspired" with board members to put him on paid leave and Davies was voted to be interim CEO (Samantha Cole/404 Media)
Apple unveiled its first foldable phone, the iPhone Duo, featuring a 5.4-inch outer display and a 7.6-inch inner display powered by the new A20 Pro chip and a dedicated display engine, and it retains Touch ID for authentication. The device was announced alongside the iPhone 18 Pro/Pro Max lineup and the Apple Watch Series 12 and Ultra 4, highlighting Apple’s expansion into foldable hardware.
- The Verge·Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg reportedly placed on leave
Matt Mullenweg, Automattic’s CEO since 2014 and co-founder of WordPress.org, has been placed on a paid leave of absence after CFO Mark Davies allegedly conspired with board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider and Sue Decker to vote for the action, which Mullenweg opposed. The internal announcement, seen by 404 Media, details the board’s decision and Mullenweg’s dissent.
- TechCrunch·Automattic’s board forces CEO Matt Mullenweg into leave of absence
Automattic’s board voted to place founder-CEO Matt Mullenweg on a paid leave of absence, appointing CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO; Mullenweg’s Slack post said the vote was made without his consent and that he was denied legal review time. The change does not affect the WordPress.org project, which remains under Mullenweg’s leadership, while Automattic continues to face ongoing litigation with WP Engine and recent staff reductions.
Related stories
- Matt Mullenweg tells Automattic staff in Slack he’s back in control after CEO ouster3 outlets
- All 11 xAI co-founders have now reportedly left Elon Musk’s AI company3 outlets
- Reid Hoffman leaves Microsoft’s board to go ‘founder mode’ with AI drug startup Manus3 outlets
- Xbox Game Studios chief reportedly steps down as layoffs loom3 outlets