Female tech exec resigns after viral Coldplay concert clip sparks online frenzy

Astronomer, a US tech company specializing in data, analytics, and artificial intelligence, has seen significant upheaval following a viral video from a Coldplay concert. The clip showed a man and woman—later identified by media as the company’s CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot—caught on the stadium’s big screen as they embraced and then quickly tried to hide from view.

Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin joked to the crowd, “Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy,” fueling widespread online attention and speculation.

The video quickly circulated across social media, gathering millions of views and spawning memes and media commentary. As rumors and fake statements swirled around the identities and nature of the relationship between the two individuals, Astronomer released a statement acknowledging an investigation into the matter and announced that Byron would be placed on leave.

CEO Andy Byron resigns following investigation

Within 24 hours of initiating the investigation and placing Byron on leave, Astronomer announced that Andy Byron had resigned from his CEO position. The company’s board accepted his resignation and said it would begin searching for a new chief executive. Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy was appointed as interim CEO during this leadership transition.

Andy Byron had been a pivotal figure in the company’s growth, leading Astronomer from its origins as an Apache Airflow consultancy to a full-stack data orchestration platform. Under his leadership, the company secured major funding rounds and positioned itself at the forefront of data-driven AI solutions for enterprises.

Kristin Cabot also steps down from Astronomer

Shortly after Byron’s resignation, Astronomer confirmed that Kristin Cabot was no longer with the company, stating that she had resigned. Cabot’s departure came about a week after Byron stepped down. The company made few public comments directly naming Cabot but implicitly acknowledged the seriousness with which it viewed the incident, especially given her sensitive role as head of human resources.

Astronomer’s official statements and aftermath

Astronomer expressed that the events thrust unexpected media spotlight on the startup, noting their prior recognition as a pioneer within the DataOps field. The company reaffirmed its commitment to high standards of leadership conduct and accountability, stating these were not met in this recent situation.

Pete DeJoy, in his first message as interim CEO, acknowledged the unusual and sudden attention Astronomer received after the incident, and committed to steering the company forward while focusing on their core mission in data and AI technology.

Astronomer’s board is actively searching for a new CEO to lead the company back to its strategic goals. Meanwhile, the startup continues to focus on delivering its DataOps platform and serving customers globally, aiming to turn the page on recent distractions and restore trust among stakeholders.