Automattic executives signed reciprocal severance deals during Mullenweg ouster

SAN FRANCISCO — Automattic CFO Mark Davies and legal chief Andy Missan executed reciprocal severance agreements during a corporate upheaval that saw CEO Matt Mullenweg briefly step away from the business, according to a report published on Sept. 16, 2026.

The documents, signed while Mullenweg was on leave, guarantee both executives a year of salary and accelerated equity vesting under specific departure conditions. The internal arrangement provides a financial backstop for two of the private web-publishing company's top executives during a period of executive turnover and governance stress.

Strategic Context

The reciprocal agreements were enacted during Mullenweg’s brief ouster from the helm of Automattic. Corporate governance structures at private technology companies frequently face strain during leadership crises, but mutual sign-offs between a chief financial officer and a chief legal officer represent an unusual internal mechanism to secure executive retention and departure terms.

According to the reporting by TechCrunch, Davies and Missan structured the documents so that each executive authorized the other's exit package. Under the terms, a qualifying departure triggers a payout equivalent to twelve months of base compensation alongside additional equity vesting.

Forward Outlook

Operators and allocators tracking Automattic will need to monitor how executive stability holds following Mullenweg’s return and whether these severance structures influence management retention. Private companies navigating internal leadership challenges often face heightened scrutiny from investors regarding governance protocols and executive compensation controls. The existence of these reciprocal deals highlights the internal negotiations that occur when foundational control of a major web infrastructure provider is briefly contested.