Matt Mullenweg rebuilds Automattic board after ouster attempt
Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg overhauled the company's board, leveraging his 84% voting control to regain full authority in just 33 hours following a failed coup.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Matt Mullenweg overhauls Automattic board following an internal leadership dispute
- Leverages 84% voting control to reclaim company control in 33 hours and 20 minutes
- New board features a sci-fi author and co-founders of the defunct app IRL
- Automattic retains Susman Godfrey LLP as new litigation counsel amid WP Engine lawsuit
Internal governance turmoil at Automattic, the parent company behind WordPress.com, Tumblr, and WooCommerce, has concluded with CEO Matt Mullenweg successfully restructuring the company's board of directors. Just weeks after previous directors attempted to place him on leave and oust him, Mullenweg leveraged his 84% voting stake to retake control of the company in a mere 33 hours and 20 minutes, dismissing or accepting the resignations of those involved.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
The failed boardroom coup resulted in significant leadership departures. Toni Schneider, a founding CEO of Automattic and current CEO of Bluesky, resigned from his board seat. Mullenweg himself removed retired General Ann Dunwoody from the board, while director Sue Decker also stepped down. Additionally, Mullenweg let go of Chief Financial Officer Mark Davies, who had been slated to serve as interim chief executive, and Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan.
To replace the departed members, Mullenweg appointed an eclectic new board that reportedly includes a best-selling science-fiction author and two co-founders of the now-defunct social app IRL. Furthermore, new advisors have joined the organization, including former Woop CTO Jaime Waydo, June co-founder Matt Van Horn, and Hiten Shah, co-founder of KISSmetrics.
"We are living through times of unprecedented change, possibly a singularity. The next six months will determine the next 20 years of Automattic."
Matt Mullenweg
In addition to reshaping leadership, Automattic retained trial firm Susman Godfrey LLP as its new litigation counsel to protect corporate interests. This legal shift coincides with the company's ongoing trademark and open-source contribution disputes with hosting provider WP Engine, a legal battle that has added considerable tension to corporate proceedings over recent months.
This high-stakes boardroom conflict at Automattic highlights the fragile dynamics between executive founders and corporate boards in major tech companies. While a super-voting share structure allows visionary founders to survive sudden removal attempts, it also exposes deeper governance challenges that can impact long-term corporate strategy, ongoing litigation defense, and internal company culture.
Source: TechCrunch
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