Astronomer CEO Andy Byron has been placed on leave following a viral moment at a Coldplay concert that appeared to reveal an intimate relationship between him and chief people officer Kristin Cabot.The incident was caught on the venue’s “kiss cam,” and has triggered a formal investigation and gained attention online.The tech company confirmed the leadership shake-up on Friday in a post on X. “Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave. There was also a follow-up statement: “We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days.”The viral video shows Byron, who is married, embracing Cabot, who is also married, during a Coldplay concert. As the camera zoomed in on them, the pair quickly ducked and covered their faces. After seeing their reaction, a confused Chris Martin said: “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”The incident quickly became viral, with parody accounts, memes, and fake company statements spreading fast. Some former Astronomer staff also spoke out, calling Byron a “toxic” boss. At the company’s Manhattan office, employees were reportedly told to stay silent. “Nope, we’re not allowed to talk about it,” one worker told the New York Post.Byron was placed on leave shortly after the incident became public. However, Astronomer delayed confirming the decision because Byron was negotiating an exit package and resisting a swift resignation, according to Axios.The company has said it was unaware of any personal relationship between the two prior to the incident.
