# Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg returned after 33 hours of leave without a public explanation

DevFeed: [Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg returned after 33 hours of leave without a public explanation](<https://devfeed.tech/articles/automattic-says-ceo-mullenweg-was-gone-and-back-inside-33-hours-what-happened-between-31532.md>)

Original publisher: [Read original article](<https://thenewstack.io/automattic-mullenweg-boardroom-reversal/>)

Author: Adrian Bridgwater

Published: 2026-09-16T20:39:42Z

Content type: news

Language: en

Sources: [The New Stack](<https://devfeed.tech/sources/the-new-stack.md>)

Topics: [WordPress](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/wordpress.md>), [App](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/app.md>), [Open Source](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/open-source.md>), [Tumblr](<https://devfeed.tech/topics/tumblr.md>)

Tags: [cloud-services](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cloud-services.md>), [company](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/company.md>), [cto](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/cto.md>), [developer-tools](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/developer-tools.md>), [governance](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/governance.md>), [matt-mullenweg](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/matt-mullenweg.md>), [open-source](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/open-source.md>), [wordpress](<https://devfeed.tech/tags/wordpress.md>)

## AI overview

Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg was placed on leave and reinstated about 33 hours later. The company has not publicly explained what prompted the leave or return, while observers have raised--but not established--the possibility of an attempted change in control.

## Source excerpt

There were unusual goings-on this month at Automattic, a company known for its free and open-source app for building WordPress The post Automattic says CEO Mullenweg was gone and back inside 33 hours. What happened between? appeared first on The New Stack.