Definition
Governance models for open-source projects and their commercial sponsors — balancing founder control, corporate board oversight, community independence, and ecosystem stability.
Key Points
- 2026-09: automattic board-vs-founder power struggle highlights tension between professional management and founder control (2026-09-12-automattic-mullenweg-returns-ceo)
- wordpress open-source project remained independent of Automattic corporate drama — separate leadership structures matter
- Rare public board coup attempt at major open-source company; resolution within days with founder retaining CEO role
- Implications for plugin ecosystem, WooCommerce merchants, and developer trust