Automattic Leadership Coup and Matt Mullenweg’s Return

What happened

• Automattic’s board attempted to remove co-founder and CEO Matt Mullenweg, reportedly giving him just 50 minutes’ notice before a vote.
• CFO Mark Davies became CEO, with support from board members Sue Decker, Ann Dunwoody, and Tony Schneider.
• Mullenweg believed the move was connected to Automattic’s legal battle with WP Engine. The video also notes speculation that the board wanted to distance the company from allegations involving missing evidence.

How Mullenweg regained control

• Mullenweg holds 84% of Automattic’s voting power, allowing him to replace the board and restore himself as CEO.
• After a brief, unconventional period in which he called himself a “pirate” and changed Slack access, he announced the board was back in agreement.
• Automattic confirmed his return, while the existing board was replaced. Mullenweg also fired Davies and Chief Legal Officer Andy Masaan.

The cost and fallout

• Mullenweg was out of the CEO role for 33 hours.
• Davies and Masaan had prepared severance agreements providing a year’s salary, a year of health insurance, and immediate vesting of their stock.
• Their departures reportedly cost Automattic more than $8 million.
• Employees were left without a clear explanation for the upheaval.

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