Matt Mullenweg has returned as CEO of Automattic after a brief but dramatic leadership shake-up that saw the company’s board vote to place him on paid leave and appoint CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO.
The reversal came just days later, with Automattic confirming that Mullenweg had returned to the role with the full support of the board. The board members involved in the decision to place him on leave have since departed, with sources reporting that Toni Schneider and Sue Decker resigned and that Mullenweg removed Ann Dunwoody from the board.
The changes also extended beyond the board. Automattic’s CFO Mark Davies and Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan have also left the company.
Mullenweg returns as CEO after board ouster
The leadership shake-up began earlier in the week when Automattic’s board voted to place Mullenweg on paid leave and appointed CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO.
Mullenweg later told Automattic employees that the situation had been resolved. In a Slack message reported by TechCrunch, he wrote:
“(Don’t call it a comeback…) Howdy everybody! Happy to announce the board is back in agreement, and I’m in control of Automattic. A lot happened in the past 48 hours that we need to sort out, and I hope much of it was a misunderstanding, because I have huge respect and regard for those involved.”
He also shared a link to LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out.” Mullenweg told TechCrunch that he was not trolling when asked about his announcement, saying, “I’m not a troll I’m a pirate, obviously.” He had earlier said a blog post was forthcoming, but the resulting post was about his purchase of a houseboat, titled “Major Life Announcement”.
Mullenweg also addressed the episode in two posts on X, writing, ‘Founder advice: If you don’t have a coup attempt every few years, you’re not hiring strong enough leaders.’ He added, ‘I think this was my fifth.’”
Automattic confirmed the return to TechCrunch on Saturday, with a company spokesperson stating, “Matt Mullenweg is the chairman and CEO of Automattic, with full support of the board and if you search online you can see many top executives and Automatticians supporting him as well.”
In the same statement, the company said Mullenweg had been away for only 33 hours and 20 minutes, adding, “we’re now back to work.”
WordPress Executive Director Mary Hubbard was among those to publicly welcome Mullenweg’s return, saying she was “relieved and pleased to see Matt Mullenweg return as CEO of Automattic, the largest financial contributor to the WordPress project.” She said having WordPress’s co-founder and project lead at the helm gave her confidence that Automattic’s support would remain strong, adding, “Matt has my support.”
Batuhan İçöz, Head of Spacefast at Automattic, also shared his support for Mullenweg on X. İçöz said “Matt always tries to do what’s best for the community” and acknowledged that some of his decisions can spark reactions and that he makes mistakes.
İçöz added that employees had been posting in support of Mullenweg because “we genuinely care,” and said he had been planning to leave Automattic that week.
Automattic’s board undergoes shake-up
The changes at Automattic did not end with Mullenweg’s return. TechCrunch reported that Toni Schneider had resigned from the board, while Sue Decker also resigned and Mullenweg removed Gen. Ann Dunwoody.
The shake-up also involved two senior Automattic executives. Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan is no longer with the company, as is CFO Mark Davies, who had been appointed interim CEO during his leave.
Toni Schneider, who later updated his bio on his personal website, removed a paragraph that stated, “ I also contribute actively at Automattic, the open source company behind WordPress.com and WooCommerce. I was Automattic’s founding CEO and continue to support internal projects and investments as a board member and special advisor.”
The leadership changes are also reflected in LinkedIn updates. Sue Decker’s profile now lists her tenure on Automattic’s Board of Directors as March 2020 to September 2026, while Andy Missan’s profile shows his tenure as Chief Legal Officer ending in September 2026. Mark Davies’ profile, however, still lists him as Automattic’s Chief Financial Officer.
Automattic declined to comment on the specific departures. In a statement to TechCrunch, a spokesperson said, “Matt and Automattic’s leadership team have great respect for everyone involved. While we can’t comment on specific individuals, we’re thankful for their contributions to Automattic and its mission, and we remain excited about what’s ahead with Matt at the helm.”
Automattic brings in new legal counsel
Automattic has brought in two new attorneys as the company navigates the latest changes. The company announced on X that it had engaged Stephen Shackelford and Shawn J. Rabin of Susman Godfrey, adding that it was “Looking forward to working together to fight for Freedom, Liberty, and Open Source.”
The move also drew attention from community member Duane Storey, who questioned what was happening with Automattic’s legal team, “Looks like Automattic’s entire legal time is trying to quit?” he wrote on X. Storey went on to question whether a court filing had been rejected and whether the developments were connected to the board dispute.
The legal battle is set for its next hearing on September 30, 2026, when the court is expected to address WP Engine’s allegations against Automattic and Matt Mullenweg over alleged failures to preserve evidence.
The rapid reversal from paid leave to Mullenweg’s return—with CFO Mark Davies briefly serving as interim CEO—shows how quickly leadership decisions can shift during internal turmoil. It will be interesting to see how Automattic rebuilds trust after the board shake-up