TechDraft
Matt Mullenweg claims he has returned as Automattic CEO
The Automattic founder said he had been reinstated two days after being placed on paid leave, but the company had not confirmed his formal return.
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Event
Matt Mullenweg claims he is back in control of Automattic after CEO ouster
Two days after being placed on paid leave, Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg said he had been reinstated as chief executive, according to a Slack message seen by TechCrunch. The reported reversal followed the board’s appointment of CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO.
2 published stories · artificial-intelligence · source reliability 67%
Background
Why this event matters
Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg reportedly said he had returned as chief executive two days after being placed on paid leave. The reported reversal followed the board’s appointment of CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO. Automattic owns or operates WordPress.com, Tumblr and Beeper. The company had not confirmed whether Mullenweg formally resumed the role.
event-brief
Matt Mullenweg claims he is back in control of Automattic after CEO ouster
Automattic founder Matt Mullenweg reportedly said he had returned as chief executive two days after being placed on paid leave. The reported reversal followed the board’s appointment of CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO. Automattic owns or operates WordPress.com, Tumblr and Beeper.
Reporting trail
The Verge | https://www.theverge.com/tech/994087/matt-mullenweg-automattic-ceo-return | published 2026-09-11T17:16:59.000Z | primary sourceThe Verge | Primary account of the reported leave, interim appointment and alleged reinstatement.TechCrunch, as cited by The Verge | Saw the Slack message and reported the account deactivation.404 Media, as cited by The Verge | Reported earlier staff messages about the board’s vote and Davies’ interim appointment.Retrieved context, SAME_EVENT | Reinforces that formal resumption of the CEO role was unconfirmed.TechCrunch | https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/11/matt-mullenweg-tells-automattic-staff-in-slack-hes-back-in-control-after-ceo-ouster | published 2026-09-11T15:19:00.000Z | primary sourceTechCrunch | Primary report based on a Slack screenshot, source confirmation and responses from Mullenweg; records Automattic’s lack of confirmation.Event digest | Concise summary of the reported CEO-control dispute.Retrieved context, cluster summary | Corroborates the event summary but adds no independent evidence.
Fact cards
entity brief
Matt Mullenweg claims he is back in control of Automattic after CEO ouster: key people and institutions
Key entities: Automattic, Matt Mullenweg, Mark Davies.
faq brief
Matt Mullenweg claims he is back in control of Automattic after CEO ouster: key questions
What happened to Matt Mullenweg? He said he had been reinstated as Automattic CEO after being placed on paid leave. Was his return formally confirmed? No. Automattic had not confirmed that he formally resumed the role. Who was appointed interim CEO? CFO Mark Davies was appointed
source brief
Matt Mullenweg claims he is back in control of Automattic after CEO ouster: reporting sources
The Verge | https://www.theverge.com/tech/994087/matt-mullenweg-automattic-ceo-return | published 2026-09-11T17:16:59.000Z | primary source | The Verge | Primary account of the reported leave, interim appointment and alleged reinstatement. | TechCrunch, as cited by The Verge | Sa
timeline brief
Matt Mullenweg claims he is back in control of Automattic after CEO ouster: timeline
Days before 2026-09-11: Automattic’s board reportedly placed Mullenweg on paid leave and named Mark Davies interim CEO. Previous 48 hours: Mullenweg said events requiring resolution may have involved a misunderstanding. 2026-09-11: Mullenweg told staff in Slack that he was back i
Timeline
Days before 2026-09-11
Automattic’s board reportedly placed Mullenweg on paid leave and named Mark Davies interim CEO.
Previous 48 hours
Mullenweg said events requiring resolution may have involved a misunderstanding.
2026-09-11
Mullenweg told staff in Slack that he was back in control and that the board had reached agreement.
FAQ
What happened to Matt Mullenweg?
He said he had been reinstated as Automattic CEO after being placed on paid leave.
Was his return formally confirmed?
No. Automattic had not confirmed that he formally resumed the role.
Who was appointed interim CEO?
CFO Mark Davies was appointed interim CEO, according to reports.
What did Mullenweg call the episode?
He described it as a possible “coup”, which was his characterisation.
Which companies does Automattic operate?
WordPress.com, Tumblr and Beeper.
What happened at Automattic?
Mullenweg said he had regained control after the board reportedly placed him on leave and appointed Davies interim CEO.
Has Automattic confirmed the change?
No. Automattic has not confirmed that Mullenweg formally resumed control.
Why was Mullenweg placed on leave?
The supplied material does not state the reason.
How was Mullenweg’s claim reported?
It was based on a Slack screenshot and confirmed by two sources.