Astronomer CEO Andy Byron Resigns After Getting Caught on Coldplay Kiss Cam with HR Boss – Reveals His Replacement, but HR Head Kristine Cabot Hasn’t Stepped Down Despite Scandal

Astronomer CEO Andy Byron has resigned in disgrace after being caught on camera getting cozy with the company’s HR chief, Kristin Cabot, during a Coldplay concert in Boston on Tuesday. The viral kiss-cam moment has triggered an internal scandal and investigation at the billion-dollar AI startup.

Byron, 50, was placed on leave Friday and officially stepped down on Saturday, according to a company statement. In his place, cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy will serve as interim CEO.

“As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding,” the company said. “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability—and recently, that standard was not met. Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted.”

The now-infamous moment occurred when the stadium’s kiss cam panned to Byron and Cabot sitting together. Byron was seen with his arms around Cabot, prompting the pair to quickly duck and turn away from the big screen when they realized they were being broadcast to thousands.

Coldplay frontman Chris Martin added fuel to the fire with a cheeky on-stage comment: “Oh look at these two! Oh what? Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy,” he joked.

Since then, the internet has been abuzz with speculation about the nature of their relationship—and their marital status. Public records suggest both Byron and Cabot are married, but each reportedly resides at a different address than their listed spouses.

According to property documents filed in Massachusetts in January, Cabot is married to Andrew Cabot, CEO of Privateer Rum, a Massachusetts-based distillery. The documents confirm that Kristin Cabot, formerly Stanek, was married when she sold a $1.8 million property in Watertown earlier this year.

Andrew Cabot, who has reportedly been married at least twice before, shares two children with his first wife, Maud. In April of last year, Maud shared photos from their daughter’s 25th birthday showing Kristin Cabot and Andrew looking close. Kristin was also pictured wearing a wedding ring in those photos—a ring noticeably absent during the Coldplay concert with Byron.

Meanwhile, Andy Byron is also married. His wife, Megan Byron, has since removed his last name from her social media profiles in the wake of the scandal.

Astronomer confirmed that both Byron and Cabot were placed on leave last Friday and that a formal internal investigation is underway.

“While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for customers have not,” the company stated. “We remain focused on helping our clients solve their toughest data and AI challenges.”

Cabot joined Astronomer as Head of HR in November 2024. At the time, Byron publicly praised her in a press release, saying she was a “perfect fit” for the company, citing her “exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management.”

Astronomer, which focuses on DataOps and AI solutions, has grown rapidly and is currently valued at over $1 billion. Byron had served as CEO since 2023.

As of now, Kristin Cabot has not resigned from her position.