Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg Put on 'Leave of Absence'

On a company-wide Slack this morning, Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg announced he has been put connected a paid time off of absence.

“And the biggest news: I won't beryllium capable to make the ELT tomorrow,” Matt wrote successful an Announcement Slack. He continued, penning that Mark Davies, existent Automattic Chief Financial Officer, has “conspired” pinch Automattic Board of Directors members Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider, and Sue Decker “behind my backmost and they voted to put maine connected a paid time off of absence. I voted against that.” 

He wrote that Davies was voted to beryllium the caller interim CEO. “I received the solution 50 minutes earlier the gathering start, and requested many times for clip to person it reviewed by independent ineligible counsel, moreover a fewer hours, which was denied,” Mullenweg wrote.

Mullenweg is the laminitis of Automattic, the institution that owns WordPress, Tumblr, Pocket Casts, and a big of different celebrated net brands and pieces of software. Mullenweg has faced respective controversies complete his guidance of the institution successful caller years.

In the aforesaid Slack channel, Davies wrote that Mullenweg would stay a committee personnel and “he will person a sound successful mounting guidance and making decisions.”

"As you person seen from Matt's erstwhile messages, Automattic's committee has decided to inquire Matt to measurement distant from his CEO domiciled and return a time off of absence,” Schneider wrote pursuing Mullenweg’s message. “We person asked Mark Davies to presume the interim CEO domiciled while Matt is out. We've worked intimately pinch Mark complete the years and we're assured he will steer the vessel good while Matt is away. I'm judge you will person galore questions and Mark and your activity squad will beryllium disposable to reply them.” 

“I want to convey Matt for his support and I intend to support him, the Board, Automattic, and our customers during this interim situation,” Davies wrote successful that Slack channel. “It will return maine immoderate clip to travel up to speed, but we'll move guardant pinch transparency, communication, and teamwork.” He wrote that thing will alteration arsenic a consequence of Mullenweg’s leave.

Mullenweg, Automattic, Schneider, and Davies did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

For the past fewer years, Mullenweg has waged a divisive ineligible battle pinch WP Engine, sparing publically pinch opponents and peers connected societal media and successful his individual blog. In 2024, he made an “Alignment Offer,” giving Automattic labor who disagreed pinch his stances the action to return six months of salary aliases $30,000, whichever was higher, pinch the stipulation that they would suffer entree to their activity logins that aforesaid evening and would not beryllium eligible for rehire.

One 100 and fifty-nine group took the connection and left. He past made different buyout offer, and threatened labor who said to the property pinch termination, saying, “exit gracefully, aliases beryllium fired tomorrow pinch nary severance.” 

Most recently, Automattic attempted to claim it owns the connection “automatic.”