Automattic Names an Interim CFO While the Board Plans Its Search
Automattic has named Jeremy Klaperman as interim Chief Financial Officer. TechCrunch
Klaperman is CFO of WordPress VIP, the enterprise unit that works with large customers. He previously served as acting corporate CFO when Mark Davies was on sabbatical.
The company shared the appointment internally on Friday. The board has yet to announce new members. It will review internal and external candidates before naming a permanent CFO.
Davies, the former CFO, had briefly served as interim CEO before Matt Mullenweg returned as CEO. Former Chief Legal Officer Andy Missan departed alongside Davies.
Davies and Missan signed reciprocal severance deals during Mullenweg's 33-hour leave of absence. TechCrunch
A candidate to replace Missan as Chief Legal Officer has verbally accepted the position. The next board meeting is scheduled for September 23. Stephen Wolfram will continue as special advisor to the company.
The broader context here will be familiar to readers who follow tech leadership changes. Interim titles keep signing authority clear and keep audit and budget cycles moving while the board runs a full search. Choosing someone who has already done the job on a temporary basis lowers execution risk, like a substitute teacher who already knows the class.
In my view, the near-term issue for teams that rely on Automattic systems is continuity. Finance leadership sets the pace for vendor deals, hiring plans, and enterprise contracts. An internal choice from the enterprise side points toward steady operations rather than a change in direction, and Klaperman already knows the corporate close process and the enterprise customers who follow roadmaps and support terms most closely.
Looking ahead, the simple and hopeful case is that clear interim ownership lets work continue while governance catches up. The September 23 meeting should show whether directors favor a quick confirmation or a wider search. The legal hire also needs attention, since a verbal acceptance is not a completed hire, and reciprocal severance deals signed during a brief CEO absence will get careful review from directors and counsel. A careful, well-documented process matters more than speed.
