Every beginning has an end. Martin Wimpress has announced his departure from active involvement in Ubuntu MATE, marking a significant leadership change for the project he founded in 2014.
In a message to the community, Wimpress stated his time with Ubuntu MATE is “coming to a close,” citing changes in his availability and personal focus. After more than a decade of leadership, he is seeking to transfer responsibilities to new contributors.
“As another development cycle passes, I find myself lacking the time I once had to work on Ubuntu MATE. And, to be frank, I don’t have the passion for the project that I once had. When I have time to tinker, my interests are elsewhere.”
The announcement does not name a successor. Instead, Wimpress is inviting individuals with experience maintaining Ubuntu archive packages to help sustain development. There is a clear need for maintainers to manage core distribution tasks such as packaging, updates, and release coordination.
Just to mention, Ubuntu MATE launched as an official Ubuntu flavor based on the MATE desktop, continuing the traditional GNOME 2-style experience. It has since maintained a steady user base and regular release cycle within the Ubuntu ecosystem.
The important thing to understand is that Wimpress’s departure does not mean that the project is being discontinued. That’s not the case at all, and there are no announced plans to end development.
Simply put, the project now enters a transition period. Without a defined leadership structure, its short-term direction depends on new maintainers stepping forward to assume key roles.
Wimpress’s departure follows 12 years as the project’s central figure in development and community coordination. His exit moves Ubuntu MATE into a new phase, with responsibilities expected to be shared among contributors instead of a single leader.
Further updates will be provided as the project seeks new maintainers and establishes its next leadership structure. In the meantime, anyone who’d like to express their gratitude to Wimpress for everything he’s done for Ubuntu MATE over the past 12 years can do so in this thread.
