Automattic confirms Mullenweg has returned as CEO after attempted ouster by board

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Published: 2026-09-13T00:07:55.958Z • Permanent link

Matt Mullenweg, the founder of Automattic, the company behind popular blogging platform WordPress, has been reinstated as CEO after a failed attempt to oust him from the position by the company's board of directors. The news comes after a lengthy and contentious battle between Mullenweg and the board, which has been seeking to implement a new governance structure and reduce Mullenweg's role in the company. According to sources close to the matter, the board had been pushing for a more traditional CEO structure, with a clear line of succession, whereas Mullenweg had been pushing for a more decentralized approach to leadership. The failed coup attempt has sent shockwaves through the tech industry, with many industry observers expressing support for Mullenweg's vision for the company.

The drama surrounding Mullenweg's attempted ouster has been playing out in public for several months, with the company's board of directors filing a lawsuit against Mullenweg in an effort to remove him from his position. However, in a stunning turn of events, Automattic's board of directors announced last week that they would be withdrawing the lawsuit, and instead, Mullenweg would be reinstated as CEO. The decision has been hailed as a major victory for Mullenweg, who has been a vocal advocate for the company's decentralized approach to leadership.

Mullenweg's reinstatement has also sent a message to the tech industry that decentralized leadership models are viable and can be successful. Automattic's success under Mullenweg's leadership has been a testament to the power of decentralized decision-making, and his reinstatement is a vindication of his approach.

The attempted ouster of Matt Mullenweg from Automattic has significant implications for the Data Sources domain, particularly for companies that operate in the tech industry. Automattic's WordPress platform is a leading provider of blogging software, and its success has been a major driver of the growth of the company. The attempted coup has sent a message to other companies in the tech industry that decentralized leadership models are viable and can be successful.

The implications of Mullenweg's reinstatement extend beyond Automattic itself, however. The tech industry as a whole has been grappling with the question of how to structure its leadership models, and Mullenweg's approach has been seen as a model for other companies to follow. The fact that Automattic's board of directors was willing to back down in the face of Mullenweg's determination to remain CEO has sent a powerful message to other companies that decentralized leadership models are not only viable but also desirable.

Moreover, the attempted coup has highlighted the tensions between decentralized and traditional leadership models. As the tech industry continues to evolve, it is likely that these tensions will only continue to grow, and Mullenweg's reinstatement is a testament to the power of decentralized decision-making.