Astronomer CEO Andy Byron resigns after Coldplay "kiss cam" scandal

Andy Byron, the CEO of New York‑based data‑ops firm Astronomer, resigned on July 19 following a viral incident captured by a “kiss cam” at a Coldplay concert in Boston. The video featured Byron with Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot, both of whom are reportedly married to other people.

The incident occurred on July 16 at Gillette Stadium, where Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin quipped onstage, “Either they’re having an affair… or they’re just very shy,” as the couple appeared momentarily on screen.

The video rapidly went viral—amassing millions of views across social media platforms.

Astronomer initially placed Byron and Cabot on administrative leave and launched an internal investigation into the incident, citing a breach of leadership standards.

On July 19, the Board of Directors confirmed that Byron had officially resigned, with co-founder Pete DeJoy named as interim CEO. Cabot was also reported to be on leave.

In its statement, Astronomer emphasized its commitment to ethics and accountability: “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.” The board said a formal search for a permanent CEO is underway.

Founded in 2015 and valued at approximately $1.3 billion, Astronomer specializes in data orchestration and analytics platforms. Byron, who became CEO in 2023, had overseen a successful Series D funding round in early 2025.

While Astronomer maintains that its products and client focus remain unaffected, workforce insiders suggest the scandal has shaken employee morale, with some describing Byron’s leadership style as “toxic.” Despite the public spotlight, the company reaffirmed its dedication to customers and ongoing operations.