Matt Mullenweg reportedly returns as Automattic CEO two days after getting booted
Matt Mullenweg has reportedly returned as CEO of Automattic just two days after being placed on a paid leave of absence by the board. The situation involved internal conflict and a brief leadership change involving CFO Mark Davies.
Why it matters
The instability at a major tech company like Automattic, which owns WordPress, has significant implications for the web infrastructure and content management industry.
Two days after being placed on a paid leave of absence, Matt Mullenweg says he has been reinstated as CEO of Automattic, according to a Slack message seen by TechCrunch.
As 404 Media reported on Wednesday, Mullenweg had told staff in Slack that CFO Mark Davies “conspired” with the board of directors, who voted to “put me on a paid leave of absence.” (Mullenweg said he voted against that.) He also told staff that the board had voted for Davies to become interim CEO. Davies, in a separate message, said that Mullenweg would still be a board member, according to 404 Media. An Automattic spokesperson told The Verge that Mullenweg was “currently on leave” from the company and confirmed Davies’ interim appointment.
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