New York, NY — Andy Byron, the chief executive of data orchestration company Astronomer, has resigned following a viral video that captured what appeared to be an intimate moment between him and the company’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot, during a Coldplay concert.
In a formal statement released on Monday, Astronomer confirmed Byron’s resignation, stating the board had accepted his decision and would begin a search for his replacement “in due course.”
“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” the company said.
“Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding.”
The Viral Moment That Sparked It All
The scandal erupted after footage from Coldplay’s July 16 concert at Gillette Stadium in Boston went viral on social media. The video, which gained millions of views, shows a man—believed to be Byron—embracing a woman identified by online sleuths as Kristin Cabot, the firm’s Chief People Officer.
The two were caught on the venue’s “kiss cam”, which was being displayed on the stadium’s jumbotron. Once they realized they were being projected live to the crowd, Byron quickly ducked out of view while Cabot covered her face with her hands.
“Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” joked Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin, who narrated the moment from stage, adding fuel to online speculation.
Resignation Follows Internal Investigation
Astronomer initially placed Byron on leave and launched an internal investigation, according to a previous statement posted to the company’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
While the company stopped short of publicly identifying the man in the video, sources familiar with the matter confirmed Byron was under scrutiny. Social media users and tech journalists quickly matched the individuals in the clip with company profiles, intensifying public interest.
On Monday, Astronomer confirmed the resignation, adding that co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy will serve as interim CEO while the search for a permanent successor is underway.
Reputational Fallout and Ethical Implications
The incident has sparked a wider discussion around corporate ethics, workplace relationships, and how public behavior by executives can affect company reputation. Astronomer, which describes itself as a platform that helps organizations manage data pipelines for analytics and AI, has faced mounting pressure to respond decisively.
Though no formal misconduct or policy breach has been publicly confirmed, the visual of two senior executives in an intimate moment during a public event led to online backlash, with critics calling the behavior “inappropriate,” given their roles and visibility.
What’s Next for Astronomer
Astronomer now faces the dual challenge of repairing internal culture and restoring public trust. With Byron stepping down and a new leadership search underway, the firm says it remains focused on “maintaining the integrity of its workplace and the trust of its partners.”
As for the now-former CEO, Andy Byron has not publicly commented since his resignation.
