Automattic names Jeremy Klaperman interim CFO
Automattic appoints Jeremy Klaperman as interim CFO following executive departures after an attempted ouster of CEO Matt Mullenweg.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Jeremy Klaperman takes over as the new interim CFO of Automattic.
- The appointment follows executive exits including former CFO Mark Davies.
- Matt Mullenweg stated the board will evaluate internal and external candidates for the permanent role.
- A candidate for the chief legal officer position has also verbally accepted the offer.
Automattic has appointed Jeremy Klaperman, previously the CFO of the company’s WordPress VIP Enterprise business unit, as its new interim chief financial officer. The internal announcement made on Friday follows last week's attempted ouster of CEO Matt Mullenweg, which resulted in the departure of board members who voted against him as well as other high-ranking executives, including former CFO Mark Davies who briefly served as interim CEO before Mullenweg resumed his position.
In a Slack message, Mullenweg pointed out that Klaperman had previously filled in as Automattic's CFO when Davies was on sabbatical. He also mentioned that the incoming board members, whose identities have not yet been publicly disclosed, will need to carefully evaluate both internal and external candidates before making a final permanent decision for the CFO role.
This high-stakes executive shuffle at Automattic highlights the intense internal friction following leadership disputes at major tech companies that power a vast portion of the web. The rapid placement of interim leadership serves as a crucial stabilizing move to reassure internal teams and stakeholders while the newly forming board prepares for long-term governance decisions.
Additionally, Mullenweg shared in the post that a candidate for the company's chief legal officer position has verbally accepted the role. This replacement comes after Andy Missan, the previous chief legal officer, departed alongside Davies. TechCrunch previously reported that Davies and Missan had secured reciprocal severance agreements during Mullenweg's brief 33-hour leave of absence prior to his return as CEO.
Source: TechCrunch
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