Astronomer CEO Andy Byron has resigned after stadium cameras at a Coldplay concert showed him with the company's chief people officer, Kristin Cabot, the data operations company announced in a LinkedIn post. The board of directors accepted his resignation, and cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is serving as interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement.
The incident occurred last week when the Jumbotron at the concert displayed Byron and Cabot, who appeared to try to hide their faces and leave the frame after realizing they were on camera. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin addressed the moment from the stage, telling the crowd of tens of thousands: "Oh, look at these two. Oh, what… either they're having an affair or they're just very shy."
Astronomer had previously placed Byron on leave while the board investigated. In its statement, the company said: "Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met." The statement added that "while awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not."
Exit Package and Cabot's Status
Axios reported that Byron negotiated an exit package on his way out. According to Astronomer's website, Cabot remains at the company, though it has been reported that she is currently on leave. The company did not provide further details on her status in its statement.
Observers noted that the visible reaction on the Jumbotron drew attention to the pair. Alison Taylor, a clinical associate professor at New York University, told the Associated Press: "They probably would have got away with it if they hadn't reacted." The clip circulated widely online, with some commenters treating it as a distraction from other news.
Astronomer, which describes itself as empowering data teams to bring mission-critical software, analytics, and AI to life, now faces a leadership transition as the board begins its search for a new chief executive.
Editorial Notes