tl;dr: Automattic's board voted to place CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid leave against his will, installing CFO Mark Davies as interim CEO; Mullenweg says he was given the resolution 50 minutes before the meeting and denied time for legal review. The move follows a turbulent stretch including the ongoing WP Engine lawsuit, mass severance-driven departures in 2024, and a 16% layoff in April 2025. Mullenweg remains on the board and continues to lead the WordPress.org open-source project.