A tech CEO is facing serious fallout after an unexpected moment at a Coldplay concert went viral online.
Andy Byron, the CEO of tech startup Astronomer, has been placed on leave after he was spotted on the stadium’s big screen embracing a female colleague during a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts earlier this week. The clip was shown live during the band’s performance of “The Jumbotron Song” and quickly took the internet by storm.
In the video, Byron was seen cuddling with Kristin Cabot, Astronomer’s Chief People Officer, who leads the company’s HR efforts. As the camera zoomed in on the pair, they appeared startled and quickly pulled apart, trying to avoid being seen. Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin, added to the moment’s awkwardness by joking, “Whoa, look at these two. Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
Following the viral buzz, Astronomer released a statement on LinkedIn emphasizing the importance of accountability and professional conduct at all levels of leadership. The company confirmed that its board of directors has launched a formal investigation into the incident and promised to provide further updates soon.
To help steady the ship, Pete DeJoy, Astronomer’s co-founder and chief product officer, has stepped in as interim CEO.
Astronomer also addressed the swirl of misinformation surrounding the video, including the false identification of a third person in the clip and a parody social media account pretending to represent Byron.
The internet has since been flooded with memes and joke videos, keeping the spotlight firmly on the company—and raising questions about workplace relationships and leadership behavior.
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