Get Guardian on GoogleAndy Byron, Chief Executive Officer of New York-based tech company Astronomer, has stepped down following the emergence of a viral video showing him in a compromising moment with a colleague during a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts.
In a statement released on Saturday, Astronomer’s board confirmed Byron’s resignation and announced that the company has begun the search for his permanent replacement. Pete DeJoy, co-founder and Chief Product Officer, has been appointed interim CEO.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, where Coldplay was performing. During the band’s rendition of “The Jumbotron Song,” Byron was filmed alongside Kristin Cabot, the company’s Chief People Officer, on the stadium’s “kiss cam” screen. Both appeared to be embracing before ducking out of view when they realised they were being shown to the crowd.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin commented on the moment from the stage, saying, “Whoa, look at these two. Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
Following the video’s circulation, speculation grew online regarding the nature of Byron and Cabot’s relationship, as well as unverified statements allegedly issued by Byron. Astronomer responded on LinkedIn, stating, “Byron has not put out any statement,” and described circulating reports as incorrect. The company also addressed the misidentification of a third individual seen in the video.
In its official communication, Astronomer said: “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.”
The board also announced that a formal investigation into the incident has been launched, and additional updates would follow.
Founded in 2018, Astronomer provides data infrastructure solutions focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning. The company acknowledged that the attention brought on by the incident had changed public awareness of its brand, but maintained that its core mission remains unchanged.
As of Saturday, Byron’s LinkedIn profile had been deactivated, and his name had been removed from Astronomer’s executive leadership page. However, he remains listed on the company’s website as a member of the board of directors.
