Matt Mullenweg reportedly returns as Automattic CEO two days after getting booted
News Source
β’2026-09-11T13:16:59-04:00
π° What Happened
Matt Mullenweg says he is back as CEO of Automattic, two days after being put on leave. He founded the company, which owns WordPress.com, Tumblr and Beeper. Reports said he told staff that the chief financial officer worked with the board against him. The board voted to put him on paid leave and make the CFO interim CEO.
In a message seen by TechCrunch, Mullenweg said the board is back in agreement and that he is in control. He said a lot happened in 48 hours and it may have been a misunderstanding. He also joked online that he thinks this was his fifth coup attempt.
π The Backstory
Mullenweg is a well-known figure in the tech world. He has led Automattic for about two decades and also runs the WordPress open-source project. WordPress powers a huge share of the world's websites.
Fights over control of tech companies are not new. Founders sometimes clash with boards and investors over how a company should be run. Staff at Automattic watched the drama unfold in public on Slack and social media.
π― Why It Matters
Millions of websites run on WordPress. A power struggle at the top can worry the people and businesses that depend on it.
Matt Mullenweg says he is back as CEO of Automattic, two days after being put on leave. He founded the company, which owns WordPress.com, Tumblr and Beeper. Reports said he told staff that the chief financial officer worked with the board against him. The board voted to put him on paid leave and make the CFO interim CEO.
In a message seen by TechCrunch, Mullenweg said the board is back in agreement and that he is in control. He said a lot happened in 48 hours and it may have been a misunderstanding. He also joked online that he thinks this was his fifth coup attempt.
Mullenweg is a well-known figure in the tech world. He has led Automattic for about two decades and also runs the WordPress open-source project. WordPress powers a huge share of the world's websites.
Fights over control of tech companies are not new. Founders sometimes clash with boards and investors over how a company should be run. Staff at Automattic watched the drama unfold in public on Slack and social media.
Millions of websites run on WordPress. A power struggle at the top can worry the people and businesses that depend on it.