Andy Byron steps down as Astronomer CEO amid Coldplay cheating scandal

Astronomer’s CEO Andy Byron has officially stepped aside after finding himself at the center of a viral “cheating scandal” at a Coldplay concert. Byron’s resignation follows a moment that took place on the Jimbotron (Stadium Jumbotron), where he and Astronomer’s head of HR, Kristin Cabot, were caught in a cozy embrace.

The clip spread like wildfire across social media, prompting jokes from Coldplay frontman Chris Martin and a fierce response from the company’s board.

Within 24 hours, Byron was on leave, an internal investigation was launched, and the CEO hat was passed, temporarily, to cofounder Pete DeJoy.

Andy Byron resigns as CEO in wake of scandal, answering the Coldplay kiss-cam crisis

In less time than it takes for Chris Martin to sing “Fix You,” Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, officially acknowledging the company’s need to uphold its own standards. Astronomer issued a statement confirming that “leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” adding that Byron’s resignation has been accepted by the Board of Directors.

Byron, who helmed Astronomer, a DataOps company valued at around $1.3 billion since July 2023, was placed on leave almost immediately after the widely shared Kiss-Cam footage, alongside Cabot.

The Boston concert clip captured them in a mutual embrace, prompting the band’s onstage banter: “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

The awkward reaction—and swift duck for cover—made it clear this wasn’t a coordinated prank.

Importance of optics aside, the board wasted no time, appointing cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy as interim CEO, while launching a formal investigation into the conduct.

In a two-pronged strategy communicated via LinkedIn and X, Astronomer emphasized that, despite this attention-grabbing incident, their product roadmap and commitments to customers remain steady.

The board also addressed swirling rumors, like whether another employee, Alyssa Stoddard, was present or involved. They made it clear in corporate messaging that

“Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video. Andy Byron has not put out any statement, reports saying otherwise are all incorrect.”

Employees and former staffers didn’t hold back. Some described Byron as “toxic” and “sales‑obsessed,” with one telling The New York Post, “Everybody’s laughing their a** off and enjoying the hell out of what happened”.

It seems the unexpected kiss-cam moment provided a satisfying dose of schadenfreude.

Astronomer continues to underscore that their focus remains on enterprise-grade analytics, DataOps, and supporting customers with their sturdiest data and AI challenges.

They’ve clarified that the viral fame doesn’t reflect their professional identity.

What happens next? The board is starting the search for a full-time CEO. Byron’s departure may include severance negotiations, as Axios pointed out a delay in official response that allowed rumors and memes to spread for more than 24 hours.

In the meantime, DeJoy, who helped orchestrate Astronomer’s recent $93 million Series D and international expansion, will hold the reins.

On the personal front, Byron’s wife publicly distanced herself. According to some sources, commitments around their privacy and personal fallout are quietly unfolding.

This scandal looks like it will linger, serving as a cautionary tale about the perils of public exposure, even for tech titans.

In the end, this wasn’t just a moment of stadium embarrassment; it was a full-blown governance red flag.

Andy Byron’s swift exit underlines that startup CEO status doesn’t grant immunity from public and corporate scrutiny.

With Pete DeJoy steering the ship and a formal search activated, Astronomer faces the challenge of rebuilding trust.

Meanwhile, Chris Martin’s punchline will likely echo for months: whether it’s cheeky or cutting, the Jumbotron doesn’t lie.