Following the recent ‘Kiss Cam’ controversy involving Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR chief Kristin Cabot, the company has released a statement to clear the air. The controversy started after the two were spotted on the “kiss Cam” of the Coldplay concert on July 17th.
Astronomer Issues Statement Regarding Andy Byron Controversy
The data analytics company addressed the controversy involving their CEO, Andy Byron, and HR chief Kristin Cabot. In their LinkedIn post made on Friday, the company wrote, “Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability.”
They also shared that they have launched an internal investigation into the incident, and both individuals are still part of the company. According to the post, Andy Byron has been temporarily replaced by Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy.
“Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave. We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days.”
Andy Bryon’s Statement on His Kiss Cam Controversy
On the topic of other staff members also being present at the concert, the post cleared Alyssa Stoddard and stated that no other members are present in the video. It also mentioned that their CEO has released no statement regarding this situation.
“Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video. Andy Byron has not put out any statement, reports saying otherwise are all incorrect,” the company wrote in a LinkedIn post.
How Did Andy Bryon and Kristin Cabot Go Viral?
Andy Bryon and Kristin Cabot attended the Coldplay concert held at the Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts. During the concert, the two were displayed on the “Kiss Cam”, where Byron could be seen hugging Cabot from behind, and the two started hiding as they realised the situation. This prompted Chris Martin, the lead singer of the band, to address the situation on stage. In a funny remark, the singer said, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” This prompted the video to go viral.
After this, the video began circulating on the internet. And soon, some netizens revealed the identities of the people in the video (i.e. Andy Bryon and Kristin Cabot). This led the story to catch mainstream attention, prompting the company to issue a formal statement.
