Astronomer, a rising New York-based tech company, has undergone a rapid leadership overhaul following a viral moment at a Coldplay concert. On July 16, then-CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were caught on the kiss cam at Gillette Stadium in Boston.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin paused mid-performance and joked, “Uh oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” The comment triggered a social media firestorm. Within days, both executives resigned. The incident has sparked a wider debate on workplace conduct and personal boundaries in the age of smartphones.
Kristin Cabot’s resignation came shortly after Byron stepped down on Thursday, a spokesperson confirmed, “Kristin Cabot is no longer with Astronomer; she has resigned.” This followed the company’s earlier announcement on July 20: “Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted.” Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy has stepped in as interim CEO. Both Byron and Cabot have been removed from Astronomer’s leadership page.
The kiss cam moment, though brief, had major consequences as soon as the couple appeared on the stadium Jumbotron, Cabot covered her face while Byron ducked out of view. The moment was filmed by a concertgoer and quickly spread online another video, obtained by TMZ, showed the two earlier in the night cuddling and kissing to the music. Internet users identified them within hours. The backlash intensified when reports emerged that Byron is married with children. His wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, has since removed his surname from her social media accounts.
Following the viral moment, Astronomer launched an internal investigation the leadership team viewed the situation seriously, especially given Cabot’s HR role. The resignations were swift and show how companies today must respond quickly to public controversies.
Pete DeJoy, now interim CEO, acknowledged the sudden attention in a post earlier this week, he called the media glare “unusual and surreal” but affirmed his commitment to keeping Astronomer stable. DeJoy, who co-founded the company in 2017, studied chemistry and physics at Bowdoin College and was part of the Venture for America fellowship. He lives in Brooklyn and keeps a low personal profile.
Astronomer, which commercializes open-source software, recently raised $93 million in funding led by Bain Ventures and Salesforce Ventures. The leadership shake-up comes at a critical time as the company expands its enterprise footprint.
