CEO Resigns After Embrace at Coldplay Concert
COLDPLAY CONCERT – A seemingly innocent moment on the “kiss cam” at a Coldplay concert has triggered a major shake-up in the tech world.
Andy Byron, the chief executive of New York-based tech firm Astronomer, has stepped down from his position following a public incident at a Coldplay concert. According to a statement shared with CNN on Saturday, Byron resigned after he was seen embracing an employee during the event.
The video, which quickly went viral, featured Byron alongside Kristin Cabot, Astronomer’s chief people officer, appearing on the “kiss cam” screen at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. After being spotted, the two quickly ducked out of view.
The public attention generated by the clip led to growing online speculation and reports that Byron had issued a statement addressing the incident. However, the company clarified that “Byron has not put out any statement” and added that “reports saying otherwise are all incorrect.” Astronomer also pointed out that a third person seen in the video was misidentified in early reports.
Astronomer’s board of directors accepted Byron’s resignation and has announced that a search for the next CEO is now underway. In the meantime, the company’s co-founder and chief product officer, Pete DeJoy, will serve as interim CEO.
“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,” the company said Saturday.
Founded in 2018, Astronomer is known for its work in data operations and artificial intelligence. Despite the recent publicity, the company remains focused on its mission. It acknowledged that “awareness of our company may have changed overnight,” but emphasized that its goals remain unchanged.
Byron’s LinkedIn profile has been taken down and his name has been removed from Astronomer’s leadership page, which now lists DeJoy as the acting CEO. However, Byron is still listed as a member of the company’s board of directors. CNN reported it was unable to contact Byron for further comment.