Automattic keeps losing people from its finance leadership, and the latest exit came fast. Jeremy Klaperman, who took over as acting finance chief only weeks ago, is gone, according to a TechCrunch report. The WordPress.com owner thanked him in a brief note from communications director Megan Fox and wished him well.
His rise began in the chaos of September. Directors had moved to sideline CEO Matt Mullenweg, but he reclaimed his seat in under two days and cleared out the boardroom. Mark Davies, the CFO at that moment, walked away along with legal chief Andy Missan. Klaperman, who previously handled finances for the company’s VIP enterprise arm, got the interim job to fill the gap.
It did not last. One person familiar with the situation told TechCrunch that he resented the board’s interest in outside applicants for the permanent role. That person also said directors never formally confirmed his temporary title. On top of that, Klaperman and Mullenweg clashed over a staff performance review project, so Mullenweg sent him back to his old VIP post. He quit shortly afterward.
Automattic declined to explain the departure when asked. Later, though, it published a post on X defending its hiring approach. The company said it routinely compares outside candidates with colleagues who step forward, and that some people feel slighted and leave while others turn into advisors. It named nobody. A search for a permanent CFO is still underway.
Why does this matter beyond office politics? Because finance leaders anchor how outsiders judge a company in turmoil. The new board, which includes author Hugh Howey, former IRL founders Henry Khachatryan and Krutal Desai, and writer Amy Chan, arrived barely a month ago. Yet the top money job has already changed hands more than once since then.
Mullenweg tried to reassure employees when Klaperman’s promotion was announced on Slack, saying he trusted the company’s cash position completely. Even so, repeated turnover in that seat raises fair questions about stability. WordPress.com users will likely never notice who signs off on the books. Investors, partners and staff probably will.
