CEO resigns from Astronomer after Coldplay concert video goes viral

Andy Byron has stepped down as Chief Executive Officer of Astronomer after a video of him and a senior colleague at a Coldplay concert quickly went viral online.

The clip, filmed at the band's recent July show at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, captured Byron in an intimate moment with Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot, prompting the company to launch a formal investigation and place both on administrative leave.

In a statement posted on LinkedIn on Saturday, Astronomer confirmed Byron's resignation and reaffirmed its commitment to internal standards: "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."

The video, which has since racked up over 100 million views on TikTok, showed a man, later identified by internet users as Byron, embracing a woman later confirmed to be Cabot.

The pair appeared on the venue's jumbotron during the performance of Coldplay's 'Jumbotron Song', a segment in which frontman Chris Martin sings about audience members featured on screen.

The footage showed the woman leaning back into the man's arms and smiling.

When she realised they were being broadcast, her expression changed visibly: her jaw dropped, she covered her face with her hands and spun away from the camera. Byron also attempted to duck out of view.

Martin, noticing the reaction, quipped to the crowd, "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy."

His comment added further fuel to the rapidly spreading clip, which quickly migrated across platforms and drew speculation about the individuals involved.

Byron and Cabot, are reportedly married to other people.

As the clip gained attention, Astronomer announced on Friday that it had placed Byron on leave and launched a formal internal investigation. Cabot remains on administrative leave pending the outcome.

The company later clarified that Byron had not made any public comments and cautioned against spreading false information: "Reports saying otherwise are all incorrect," Astronomer said.

Astronomer is a New York-based firm specialising in data orchestration, with a leadership team that has long promoted company culture as a core value.

Byron's sudden departure marks a dramatic turn for the company, which was already navigating rapid growth and increasing visibility in the tech sector.

Cabot joined Astronomer in 2023 and was described at the time by Byron as "a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies" with a passion for inclusive and collaborative workplaces.

In her own announcement upon joining the firm, Cabot said she had been "energised" by conversations with Byron and the rest of the leadership team.

With Byron's departure, Astronomer has appointed co-founder and chief product officer Pete DeJoy as interim CEO while the board searches for a permanent replacement.

Former Astronomer CEO and co-founder Ry Walker, who left the company and its board in 2022, distanced himself from the situation, writing: "For those asking – I'm no longer involved… and have no information on ColdplayGate."

The incident has triggered wider conversations about workplace conduct, privacy and the risks of becoming the subject of viral content.

Though it was a fellow concertgoer who filmed the brief exchange, the widespread dissemination of the video has led to renewed scrutiny around the ease with which individuals can be identified in public footage.

Venues like Gillette Stadium typically include clauses in their terms of entry that alert attendees to the possibility of being filmed or photographed. Its privacy policy notes that visitors may have their image, voice or likeness captured through CCTV or other recordings during events.

Digital privacy experts have warned that technologies such as facial recognition and AI-assisted searches now make it much easier to identify individuals in viral videos, even if they are not celebrities or public figures.

What might once have remained a fleeting or private moment can now spark global speculation in a matter of hours.

Astronomer has not indicated when its internal review will conclude or whether Cabot will return to her role.

For now, the company appears focused on navigating the fallout from the incident while reinforcing its leadership structure and internal values.