Matt Mullenweg Claims Control After Dramatic Leadership Shakeup at Automattic
By Editor • September 11, 2026 • 1 min read
In a surprising twist following his recent ouster, Matt Mullenweg has announced via Slack that he is back in charge of Automattic, the parent company of WordPress.com. This declaration follows a swift series of events where the Automattic board had previously voted to place him on paid leave, a decision that left many within the company bewildered.
Mullenweg, who is well-known for his role in the open-source community, expressed his discontent with the board's actions, stating they had 'conspired' against him. Following his leave, Mark Davies, the company’s chief financial officer, was appointed as interim CEO. However, on Friday morning, Mullenweg broke the news that he had regained control, stating that the board had reached a new agreement. He expressed hope that the turmoil was merely a misunderstanding and emphasized his respect for all involved.
Interestingly, the announcement was accompanied by a playful reference to LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out,” hinting at Mullenweg's intention to reassert his leadership. However, uncertainty looms as sources report that Davies’ Slack account has been deactivated and the board has yet to confirm Mullenweg's claims. The situation has turned peculiar, with Mullenweg even jokingly referring to himself as a 'pirate' on Slack, a departure from his usual demeanor.
Source: techcrunch.com
