In a moment that stunned both the tech world and the internet, Astronomer Inc. CEO Andy Byron has stepped down after a now-viral video captured him canoodling with Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot—neither of whom were with their spouses—at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts.
The grainy, stadium-screen footage shows the two swaying closely under the lights, arms wrapped around each other.
As the camera zoomed in, Byron quickly ducked out of sight while Cabot shielded her face—a gesture that only fueled public speculation and online sleuthing. Within hours, the couple had been identified, and the backlash was swift. It quickly went viral and viewed more than a 100 million times.
Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin, commented live from stage: “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.” The crowd cheered. The internet did not.
Astronomer Inc., a New York-based data operations firm, issued a statement Saturday acknowledging the incident and confirming Byron’s resignation:
“Our leaders are expected to set a standard in both conduct and accountability. Recently, that standard was not met.”
Cabot’s job status remains unclear, but both executives were placed on administrative leave following the incident. An internal investigation is ongoing.
The scandal has rocked Astronomer’s leadership and cast a harsh spotlight on its workplace culture. The company reassured stakeholders of its continued commitment to integrity and transparency, but the damage has been done.
In a brief message, the board stated:
“Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The search for our next CEO has begun.”
Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete de Joy will serve as interim CEO as the company navigates this storm.
Once a rising star in the tech space, Byron’s fall from grace now serves as a sobering reminder: in a world where every screen can become a spotlight, no secret stays in the shadows for long.
