Astronomer CEO Quits After Viral Coldplay Concert Scandal Sparks Internal Probe
Astronomer announced on Saturday that its CEO, Andy Byron, has officially stepped down following widespread attention to a viral video capturing a personal moment between him and the company’s Head of Human Resources, Kristin Cabot, at a Coldplay concert.
In an official statement, the company said, “Andy Byron has submitted his resignation, and the Board has accepted. Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy will continue as interim CEO while we initiate the search for a new Chief Executive.”
The now-viral clip, taken at a Coldplay show in Boston, displayed Byron—who is reportedly married—embracing Cabot on the venue’s big screen. After being caught on camera, Byron appeared to shy away from the spotlight. Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, commented humorously, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” further fueling online speculation.
Just days prior, Astronomer had placed Byron on administrative leave and launched a formal inquiry into the incident. His resignation follows a recent $93 million funding round backed by Bain Ventures and other major investors including Salesforce Ventures.
In a follow-up statement, the company emphasized its values: “We’ve built our reputation as a leader in the DataOps space, supporting analytics and AI innovation. Our leadership is expected to uphold the highest standards, and recent events fell short of that commitment.”
