Automattic Board Sidelined Matt Mullenweg, but 40% of the Web Still Depends on His WordPress.org Control
Updated
Updated · Computerworld · Sep 11
Automattic Board Sidelined Matt Mullenweg, but 40% of the Web Still Depends on His WordPress.org Control
3 articles · Updated · Computerworld · Sep 11
Summary
Automattic put CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid leave over his objections and installed CFO Mark Davies as interim chief, with the board offering no timeline or fuller explanation.
WordPress users saw little immediate operational change because Mullenweg still personally controls WordPress.org, the plugin, theme and security-update pipeline many sites rely on, and remains an Automattic director.
Analysts said the board’s abrupt move points to serious risk or exposure—possibly tied to the ongoing WP Engine litigation—but does not resolve the core governance issue enterprise IT worries about.
That concern centers on Mullenweg’s unilateral power over updates and access: critics note he cut WP Engine customers off from WordPress.org resources in 2024, and say no independent oversight now restrains similar action.
For CIOs, the leadership change is less important than what comes next—whether Automattic or Mullenweg creates structural separation and governance around infrastructure that supports software running more than 40% of the web.