Over the past few days, Automattic has been roiled by internal power shifts culminating in a sharp leadership reversal. Matt Mullenweg, the company’s cofounder and former CEO, declared in a Slack message that he’s once again in charge, following a board-led move to remove him from the top spot. The upheaval came suddenly — now staff are reacting to Mullenweg’s public response and the aftermath.
Board Ouster, Paid Leave, and Interim Leadership
Earlier in the week, Automattic’s board voted to place Mullenweg on paid leave and oust him from the CEO role. As part of that decision, the board appointed CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO. Neither the reasons for the board’s actions nor detailed explanations have been made public.
Mullenweg responded directly to his removal, asserting in Slack that the board had conspired behind his back. Staff sources confirm he communicated this internally after the decision, making clear his view that the process lacked transparency and fairness. Automattic has acknowledged Mullenweg’s leave and Davies’ interim appointment but has not provided further comment regarding the alleged soft-coup claims.
The Reclamation of Control
On the morning of Friday, September 11, Mullenweg sent a message in Slack announcing that the board had reversed course and that he was “back in agreement” and in control. He intimated that recent actions had likely stemmed from misunderstandings and said he respected all involved. Along with the message, he shared the music video for LL Cool J’s “Make Said Knock You Out.”
Key administrative changes followed: sources say that all Slack administrators were removed, and Mark Davies’ account was deactivated. It’s unclear whether these changes were formally sanctioned by the board. Mullenweg’s behavior included an earlier Slack post in which he referred to himself as a “pirate” and used profanity — a tone that surprised some, given his usual public demeanor.
Signals, Speculation, and What’s Next
Outside of Slack, Mullenweg has been active on Reddit and X, where he pushed back on speculation and reaffirmed that outside forces — including private equity firm Silver Lake — may have played a role in the internal strife. He has also sought help with technical and security tasks, hinting at a possible attempt to reassert control over company systems and services.
No formal confirmation from Automattic’s board has been published following his latest Slack message. For now, Davies remains listed as interim CEO, at least officially, and the status of his deactivation or removal is unverified. Mullenweg told staff a more detailed blog post would be coming.
The sudden executive realignment, especially at a company as prominent in the open source and web publishing world as Automattic, raises questions about corporate governance, founder rights, and the role of investors in steering direction. With both internal roles and public narratives shifting rapidly, it’s a moment that could redefine authority at the company.
