Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg reportedly placed on leave

Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of WordPress.com owner Automattic, has been placed on a paid leave of absence, according to a report from 404 Media. In an internal announcement viewed by the outlet, Mullenweg claims Automattic chief financial officer Mark Davies “conspired” with board members to place him on leave.

“They voted to put me on a paid leave of absence. I voted against that,” Mullenweg wrote, referring to Davies, along with Automattic board members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, and Sue Decker, 404 Media reports. Mullenweg, who also co-founded WordPress.org, has headed up Automattic since 2014. In 2024, Mullenweg waged a public pressure campaign against a prominent WordPress host, a move that divided the open-source community and ignited a legal battle that’s still going on today.

Davies will serve as Automattic’s interim CEO, while Mullenweg will remain on the company’s board, according to the messages seen by 404 Media.

“Automattic’s board has decided to ask Matt to step away from his CEO role and take a leave of absence,” Schneider added, according to 404 Media. “We have asked Mark Davies to assume the interim CEO role while Matt is out. We’ve worked closely with Mark over the years and we’re confident he will steer the ship well while Matt is away.”

Automattic didn’t immediately respond to The Verge’s request for comment.