TechNewsWebAutomattic CEO Matt Mullenweg placed on leaveMullenweg claims Automattic’s CFO ‘conspired’ with board members to put him on a leave of absence, 404 Media reports.Mullenweg claims Automattic’s CFO ‘conspired’ with board members to put him on a leave of absence, 404 Media reports.by Emma RothSep 9, 2026, 10:15 PM UTCShareGiftImage: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesPart OfThe latest on the WordPress fight over trademarks and open sourcesee all updates Emma Roth is a news writer who covers the streaming wars, consumer tech, crypto, social media, and much more. Previously, she was a writer and editor at MUO.Matt Mullenweg, the CEO of WordPress.com owner Automattic, has been placed on a paid leave of absence, as reported earlier by 404 Media. In an internal message 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.Automattic spokesperson Megan Fox confirmed the company’s decision in an emailed statement to The Verge. “Matt Mullenweg is currently on leave from Automattic,” Fox writes. “Mark Davies, Automattic’s CFO, will lead the company as interim CEO. The Board has full confidence in Mark’s leadership and in the team’s ability to execute against the company’s priorities.” Mullenweg will remain on Automattic’s board, 404 Media reports.RelatedWhy Matt Mullenweg went to war over WordPress“Automattic’s board has decided to ask Matt to step away from his CEO role and take a leave of absence,” Schneider said on the company’s internal message board, 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.”Update, September 9th: Added Automattic’s statement.Follow topics and authors from this story to see more like this in your personalized homepage feed and to receive email updates.Emma RothNewsTechWebYes, the WordPress battle with WP Engine is still going on.Emma RothMay 27The WordPress trademark saga drags on.Emma RothOct 24, 2025WordPress.com owner Automattic is laying off 16 percent of workersEmma RothApr 2, 2025Most PopularThe iPhone Duo is Apple’s first foldableApple announces the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro MaxiPhone 18 live blog: On the ground at Apple’s biggest eventHands-on with the foldable iPhone DuoLG TVs caught spying even when offline or on standbyAdvertiser Content FromThis is the title for the native ad
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