WooCommerce vs WP Engine

WordPress parent Automattic forces CEO Matt Mullenweg on leave

WordPress parent company Automattic's board has placed CEO Matt Mullenweg on a forced leave of absence, with CFO Mark Davies appointed as interim CEO. Mullenweg expressed surprise in internal Slack messages, alleging a 'conspiracy' by board members. The decision follows years of internal tensions and a legal dispute with WP Engine over licensing fees. Automattic confirmed the move to TechCrunch. The company, which also owns Tumblr and WooCommerce, saw mixed reactions from employees, with some feeling relief and others fearing instability.

• Automattic's board forced CEO Matt Mullenweg on a leave of absence.
• CFO Mark Davies will serve as interim CEO.
• Mullenweg claimed in Slack that board members conspired to vote for his leave.

What’s new with WooCommerce 11.1: order withdrawal, image gallery updates, and more

This release includes several exciting enhancements and additions. Here's what to expect.

Softminal launches B2B Suite for WooCommerce

Softminal published a technical explanation and launch notice for its Softminal B2B Suite for WooCommerce, a plugin designed to avoid common B2B pricing and checkout failures. The suite enforces a single pricing resolver pipeline so all price computations follow one deterministic path, stores B2B data in dedicated smb2b_ tables instead of wp_postmeta, and ensures compatibility with WooCommerce HPOS (High Performance Order Storage) and Cart & Checkout Blocks via WC_Order CRUD and the Store API. A free version provides a single-group wholesale channel; a Pro tier adds organizational and accounting features (companies, credit ledger, quotes, EU VIES VAT validation, webhooks). The plugin is available on WordPress.org and at b2bsuitewp.com.

• Softminal released Softminal B2B Suite for WooCommerce and published technical details about its design.
• The plugin enforces a single Pricing\Resolver pipeline so price mutation follows a fixed, deterministic order.
• B2B data (pricing rules, companies, quotes, credit) is stored in dedicated smb2b_ database tables rather than wp_postmeta.

Automattic Execs Signed Reciprocal Severance Deals During CEO Brief Ouster

During the 33-hour window in September 2026 when Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg was placed on paid leave, interim CEO Mark Davies and Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan signed reciprocal severance agreements. These golden parachutes provide each with 12 months' salary, accelerated equity vesting, and extended health coverage. The total cost to Automattic is $8.15 million, which the company now owes both executives after Mullenweg fired them upon his return. The agreements define 'cause' narrowly and include clauses tailored to Davies's interim role. Automattic has replaced its legal counsel and is deciding whether to pay or contest the packages. The incident is linked to a broader governance struggle and ongoing litigation with WP Engine.

• Automattic's board voted to put CEO Matt Mullenweg on paid leave on September 9, 2026.
• Interim CEO Mark Davies and Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan signed reciprocal severance agreements on September 10, 2026.
• The severance packages include 12 months' salary, accelerated equity vesting, and health coverage, totaling $8.15 million.

WP Engine Celebrates a Decade of Growth and Innovation in Ireland

WP Engine celebrates 10 years in Ireland, highlighting growth and innovation in the region.

Mullenweg Claims He's Back in Control at Automattic

Automattic CEO Matt Mullenweg has returned as CEO and chairman after a failed board attempt to place him on paid leave, which lasted 33 hours. Following his return, the entire board was removed: Toni Schneider resigned, while Sue Decker and Ann Dunwoody were ousted, and Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan departed. Mullenweg, who controls 84% of voting shares, has since rebuilt the board with new members including author Hugh Howey, Amy Chan, and IRL co-founders Henry Khachatryan and Krutal Desai. Advisers include former Woop CTO Jaime Waydo and KISSmetrics co-founder Hiten Shah. The leadership shakeup occurs amid an ongoing trademark lawsuit with WP Engine and internal tensions, including layoffs and Mullenweg's reference to a fifth 'coup' attempt involving Silver Lake.

• Automattic's entire board was removed after a failed attempt to oust CEO Matt Mullenweg, who returned after a 33-hour leave and remains CEO and chairman.
• Previous board members Toni Schneider (resigned), Sue Decker, and Ann Dunwoody (removed) left, along with Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan.
• Mullenweg rebuilt the board with new members Hugh Howey, Amy Chan, Henry Khachatryan, and Krutal Desai, and added advisers including Jaime Waydo, Matt Van Horn, and Hiten Shah.