CEO of Astronomer resigns after viral Coldplay concert scandal

Andy Byron, CEO of Astronomer, has resigned after being shown on a Coldplay concert Jumbotron getting close with the company’s head of HR, according to the company.

What they’re saying:

The company posted a statement on LinkedIn Saturday:

As stated previously, Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.

RELATED: Coldplay Kiss Cam triggers ‘formal investigation’ into Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot

Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.

Before this week, we were known as a pioneer in the DataOps space, helping data teams power everything from modern analytics to production AI.

While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not.

We’re continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data and AI problems.

Alleged cheaters caught during Coldplay concert

Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR chief Kristin Cabot were caught in an embrace at the Coldplay concert in Boston, causing a viral scandal. Astronomer on Friday afternoon said its board has launched an investigation, and the wo have been officially put on leave. TMZ’s Branson Quirke joins LiveNOW’s Andrew Craft to discuss the events of the scandal.

The backstory:

Byron was under “formal investigation” by his board after allegedly being caught on the jumbotron with the company’s HR chief, Kristin Cabot, at a recent Coldplay show—an eyebrow-raising moment that quickly exploded online.

Fans speculated that the embarrassed woman spotted beside Byron and Cabot was their co-worker Stoddard.

The Coldplay concert Kiss Cam turned into viral chaos after frontman Chris Martin joked that a couple on screen were “either having an affair or just very shy.” 

Within hours, an apology statement, allegedly issued by Astronomer CEO Byron, went viral. However, it turned out to be a fake.

“I want to acknowledge the moment that’s been circulating online, and the disappointment it’s caused,” the fake statement read in part.

“What was supposed to be a night of music and joy turned into a deeply personal mistake playing out on a very public stage. I want to sincerely apologize to my wife, my family, and the team at Astronomer. You deserve better from me as a partner, as a father, and as a leader.”

The hoax statement continued, “This is not who I want to be or how I want to represent the company I helped build. I’m taking time to reflect, to take accountability, and to figure out the next steps, personally and professionally, I ask for privacy as I navigate that process.”

“I also want to express how troubling it is that what should have been a private moment became public without my consent. I respect artists and entertainers, but I hope we can all think more deeply about the impact of turning someone else’s life into a spectacle.”

The fake statement concluded with Coldplay’s song lyrics to “Fix You,” “Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you.”

Astronomer shut down the false apology and said it was “not a real statement,” according to the recent statement by the tech firm.