At a recent Coldplay concert in Boston, a viral video showed a man and woman on the kiss cam suddenly pulling apart. The man ducked out of frame, while the woman covered her face. Coldplay’s Chris Martin joked, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
Internet sleuths soon identified the pair as Andy Byron, CEO of Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company’s Chief People Officer. Byron is married, and the awkward moment sparked major speculation online.
Astronomer confirmed the man in the video was Byron. The company quickly launched a formal investigation and placed him on leave. They also debunked circulating fake statements and clarified that no other employees were involved.
On July 19, Astronomer announced that Byron had officially resigned. “Our leaders are expected to set the standard… that standard was not met,” the company stated. Cofounder Pete DeJoy will serve as interim CEO while a search is conducted.
Grace Springer, who filmed the clip, said the viral fame was “overwhelming,” but reminded viewers: “Andy’s wife and his family… they’re very real people. So yeah, just keep that in mind.” Neither Byron nor Cabot have made public comments.