Astronomer has placed its chief executive on leave following the circulation of a viral video from a Coldplay concert, which drew widespread attention online after allegedly exposing an affair between the company’s CEO and CPO.

 

 

On Friday, the Astronomer posted an official statement on X, citing that the company board had initiated a formal investigation and is expected to meet “the standard in both conduct and accountability.”

 

 

Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy has been appointed as interim CEO. The statement also clarified that claims of Byron issuing a personal apology were false, labelling the circulating message as a parody.

 

 

The event took place at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on July 16, during the band’s "kiss cam" segment. A man and a woman, featured on the big screen, were seen standing closely together before quickly concealing their faces as the audience reacted. Coldplay’s frontman, Chris Martin, remarked from the stage, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

 

 

The clip was initially uploaded to TikTok, amassing millions of views before spreading to other social media platforms. Internet users identified the individuals as Andy Byron, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the data software firm Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company’s Chief People Officer (CPO). Online conversations escalated when it was reported that Byron is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron.

 

 

Social media users began searching for the personal profiles of those linked to the incident. Megan Kerrigan Byron’s Facebook account was deactivated after users allegedly reached out to her, and observers noted that she had removed “Byron” from her name before taking the profile down. Byron’s LinkedIn and other social media accounts were also disabled following the video’s circulation. Cabot has yet to issue an official statement.

 

 

Byron has been a part of the Astronomer since July 2023 and announced Cabot’s appointment as CPO in November 2024, emphasising her talent management experience as vital for the company’s expansion. Cabot, in her statement during her appointment, expressed that she was “energized” by discussions with Byron and the leadership team.

 

 

The video has sparked widespread online discussion, with users creating memes and parody apologies. The company has not provided any updates on the duration of the investigation, and neither Byron nor Cabot has publicly addressed the incident.