Matt Mullenweg Rebuilds Automattic Board After Failed Ousting

The new lineup, disclosed to staff via Slack on Friday, marks a definitive end to the brief boardroom rebellion that saw Mullenweg sidelined for 33 hours before he leveraged his 84% voting stake to purge his opposition. The incoming directors comprise a non-traditional mix of creative and entrepreneurial figures: science fiction author Hugh Howey, 'Breakup Bootcamp' creator Amy Chan, and former IRL co-founders Henry Khatachryan and Krutal Desai. The inclusion of the IRL pair is particularly notable, given their previous startup’s collapse following revelations that its user base consisted almost entirely of bots.

Mullenweg also expanded his inner circle by appointing a cohort of high-profile tech advisers, including Hiten Shah and Matt Van Horn. This governance overhaul follows a sweeping dismissal of the previous board and executive staff, including the resignation of former Automattic CEO Toni Schneider and the removal of CFO Mark Davies. The upheaval coincides with an intensifying legal battle between Automattic and hosting provider WP Engine, a conflict that prompted Mullenweg to replace the company’s legal counsel with the trial firm Susman Godfrey LLP. While the previous directors never publicly justified their attempt to remove him, Mullenweg has characterized the episode as an attempted coup, asserting that his position as CEO, President, Treasurer, and Secretary remains absolute under Delaware law.