WordPress.com’s owner Automattic has placed its CEO, Matt Mullenweg, on paid leave following a vote by the board of directors. 404 Media reported the decision, which the company also confirmed. In Mullenweg’s absence, finance director Mark Davies will take over day-to-day management as interim CEO. Mullenweg will retain his position on the board. According to internal messages, Davies, Ann Dunwoody, Toni Schneider and Sue Decker supported the decision, while Mullenweg voted against it; Mullenweg alleged that Davies had “conspired” with board members. Automattic spokesperson Megan Fox said the board had confidence in Davies’s leadership. Schneider told employees that the board wanted to move away from Mullenweg and that Davies would run the company. The duration of the leave and the conditions for his return were not disclosed.
Why it matters
This development creates a temporary structure at Automattic in which the CEO’s day-to-day management responsibilities are separated from his role on the board. The finance director’s assumption of management duties means operational decisions within the company will henceforth be handled through a different individual. Mullenweg’s remaining on the board shows that his management authority has not ended completely, but that a new balance has emerged between the board and executive management. The split in the vote and Mullenweg’s accusations against board members show that the arrangement is more than just an administrative change. For employees, the main unresolved questions are how long this transition will last and how the division of authority will take shape if Mullenweg returns.
Background
CEO is not a new name in the FikirPilot archive: we have published 6 reports mentioning this name in the last 90 days; the most recent is dated September 2, 2026.