Mary Hubbard: A New Chapter for WordPress

Mary Hubbard: A New Chapter for WordPress

It was a crisp November morning when Mary Hubbard stepped onto her first public call as the new Executive Director of WordPress.org. The virtual room was charged with anticipation, a mix of curiosity and concern among WordPress enthusiasts, developers, and business owners. After all, change can be both exciting and unsettling.

Mary didn’t wait long to address the elephant in the room. “I apologize that a large percentage of the WP community has felt alienated,” she said, her voice steady yet empathetic. At that moment, the weight of her words rippled through the community.

For many of us who’ve built careers, businesses, and dreams on the foundation of WordPress, her honesty felt like the beginning of something new—a commitment to healing and progress.


WordPress in 2025

As we step into 2025, businesses are demanding faster, more scalable, and secure solutions. This presents opportunities but also challenges for those of us committed to delivering enterprise-level WordPress solutions.

The community faces not only technological shifts but also significant internal tensions, including a high-profile legal battle that has cast a shadow over the open-source project.


The Legal Storm

At the centre of the controversy is WordPress co-founder Matt Mullenweg’s ongoing legal feud with WP Engine, a leading WordPress hosting provider. The conflict is rooted in disagreements over the commercialization of WordPress.

This legal battle has raised questions about the governance of WordPress.org, especially as it’s become widely known that Mullenweg personally owns the website.


The Leader We Need Right Now

Mary Hubbard’s story is one of resilience and results. From leading governance at TikTok during turbulent times to shaping product innovation at eBay and Walmart eCommerce, she’s faced challenges head-on and delivered meaningful change.

Her earlier roles at Automattic, including her tenure as General Manager of the WooCommerce Marketplace, gave her deep insight into the WordPress ecosystem.

Now, she’s returned to lead WordPress.org, ready to tackle challenges with transparency and determination.

Her leadership comes at a critical time, as the WordPress community grapples with questions about

?? Governance

?? Commercialization

?? Innovation.


The Challenges Ahead

Mary highlighted 3 core issues in her first call:

  1. Fewer new attendees at WordPress events, a sign of disengagement.
  2. Balancing WordPress’s open-source values with its evolving commercial ecosystem.
  3. Staying ahead in a competitive digital landscape with new innovations.

Her commitment to rebuilding trust through open communication and transparent decision-making offers hope. For business owners and WordPress leaders, this is an opportunity to realign and strengthen the ecosystem.


Why This Matters to You

As a business owner or a member of the WordPress community, you’ve likely seen how WordPress powers millions of websites, from small blogs to enterprise solutions. But the power of WordPress lies not just in its code—it’s in the community, the collaboration, and the endless possibilities it creates.

At Corporate WordPress, we’ve witnessed this firsthand. Whether it’s helping a media agency handle 10 million monthly readers without a glitch or building scalable LMS platforms for global businesses, we know the potential WordPress holds for enterprises like yours.


Looking Ahead

Mary’s next steps include attending key events like the WordCamp Asia 2025 in Manila, where she’ll continue to connect with the global community.

For us, it’s a chance to reflect on how we, as WordPress experts, can support businesses in this evolving landscape.?


The WordPress landscape is evolving quickly, and the growth opportunities too.

What holds you back with WordPress in 2025?

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