Astronomer CEO Andy Byron Resigns After Viral Coldplay ‘Kiss Cam’ Incident with Colleague
Andy Byron has stepped down from his role as CEO of the AI company Astronomer, following a viral video incident at a Coldplay concert that showed him on a “kiss cam” with the company’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot.
The controversy erupted after footage from the concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, showed the two executives sharing an awkward moment on the big screen. As the camera focused on them, they appeared to embrace before quickly moving out of the frame. The incident was noticed by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, who commented from the stage, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” The clip rapidly spread across social media, leading to widespread speculation, including rumors of an extramarital affair, as both Byron and Cabot are married.
Also read: VIRAL : Astronomer CEO Andy Byron caught in alleged affair at Coldplay concert !
In a statement on Saturday, Astronomer confirmed Byron’s resignation. “Our leaders are expected to model the highest standards of conduct and accountability – and recently, that standard was not upheld,” the company said. “Andy Byron has submitted his resignation, which the Board of Directors has accepted.”
Astronomer has appointed co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy as interim CEO while a search for a permanent successor is conducted.
The Viral Moment and Corporate Fallout
The incident took place during Coldplay’s concert on Wednesday night. Online observers quickly identified the pair as Byron, who is married to marketing executive Megan Kerrigan, and Cabot, who is married to Privateer Rum CEO Andrew Cabot.
In the wake of the online backlash, Astronomer launched an internal investigation and placed both executives on leave. The company also had to issue a clarification to counter false online claims that the woman in the video was its Vice President of Human Resources, Alyssa Stoddard. Furthermore, Astronomer dismissed reports that Byron had released a public statement as “incorrect.”
Byron had been CEO of the New York-based software firm, known for its open-source data tool Astro, since July 2023. Cabot joined as Chief People Officer in November 2024. Neither Byron nor Cabot has made any public comment regarding the incident.