Andy Byron, the CEO of AI tech firm Astronomer, has been placed on leave after a video showing him in an intimate moment with Kristin Cabot, the company’s head of HR, went viral. In response, the company announced on Saturday that co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy will serve as interim CEO.
The company shared on X (formerly Twitter), “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.”
Company Launches Formal Investigation
Astronomer’s Board of Directors has officially started an investigation into the alleged relationship between Byron and Cabot. Releasing a separate statement, the company reaffirmed its commitment to ethics and leadership accountability.
“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability. The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly,” the post read.
The firm also clarified that Byron has not released any public comment yet. “…reports saying otherwise are all incorrect,” it said.
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.
The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional… pic.twitter.com/rfrAQ5bygy
— Astronomer (@astronomerio) July 18, 2025
False Identity Claims Addressed
Another employee, Alyssa Stoddard, was wrongly identified as the woman in the video. The company cleared the air by saying, “Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video.”
Viral Concert Video Triggers Backlash
The controversy began at a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Boston, where the stadium’s “kiss cam” caught Byron and Cabot hugging. When they noticed themselves on the large screen, they pulled apart and tried to hide.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, unaware of the brewing controversy, jokingly said, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just really shy.” Moments later, he seemed to regret the comment, adding, “Oh s**t, I hope we didn’t do something bad.”
The video quickly spread online, sparking public outrage. Viewers criticized Byron, especially because he is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, with whom he shares two children.
Wife Removes Surname from Facebook
Following the viral video, Byron’s wife Megan Kerrigan removed her married surname from her Facebook profile, hinting at possible personal fallout. She works as Associate Director of Lower School and Hope Graham Program Admissions at the Bancroft School. The family lives in Northborough, a town near Boston.
Byron’s Career and Connection to Cabot
According to his now-deleted LinkedIn profile, Byron became Astronomer’s CEO in July 2023. He previously held executive roles at Lacework, Cybereason, Fuze, BMC Software, BladeLogic, and VeriCenter.
Byron had personally hired Kristin Cabot as the company’s HR head in November 2024. At the time, he said, “Kristin’s exceptional leadership and deep enterprise in talent management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory.”
