AI firm Astronomer announced on Saturday that it has placed CEO Andy Byron on leave. The decision came after a viral video showed Byron in an intimate moment with the company’s HR head, Kristin Cabot, during a Coldplay concert. As a result, co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy has taken over as interim CEO.
In a statement posted on X, the company said, “Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave. We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days.”
Company Launches Official Probe
Astronomer’s Board of Directors has launched a formal investigation into the alleged affair between Byron and Cabot. The company said, “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability.” It assured that further updates would follow soon.
The company also made it clear that Byron has not issued any public response so far. “...reports saying otherwise are all incorrect,” Astronomer stated.
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.
— Astronomer (@astronomerio) July 18, 2025
The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional… pic.twitter.com/rfrAQ5bygy
Employee Wrongly Blamed
Amid the viral video’s spread, the company clarified that employee Alyssa Stoddard was wrongly identified as the woman seen in the footage. It stated, “Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video.”
Kiss Cam Sparks Scandal
The controversy erupted at a Coldplay concert in Boston. Byron was seen embracing Cabot when the venue’s kiss cam focused on them. Realizing they were on the big screen, both pulled away and tried to avoid attention.
On stage, Coldplay’s lead singer Chris Martin reacted, saying, “Either they're having an affair or they're just really shy.” Later, he apologized, adding, “Oh s**t, I hope we didn't do something bad.”
Public Reacts, Family Impacted
The video quickly went viral. Many questioned Byron’s behaviour since he is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron. Soon after the video surfaced, Megan removed Byron’s surname from her Facebook account.
Byron lives in Northborough with Megan and their two children. Megan works as an Associate Director at Bancroft School.
Byron Hired Cabot Months Ago
Byron hired Kristin Cabot as Astronomer’s HR chief in November 2024. At the time, he praised her abilities, saying, “Kristin's exceptional leadership and deep enterprise in talent management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory.”
Byron’s Background
Before leading Astronomer, Byron worked in senior roles at Lacework, Cybereason, Fuze, BMC Software, BladeLogic, and VeriCenter. He became Astronomer’s CEO in July 2023. His LinkedIn profile has since been deleted.
Astronomer promised to provide more updates after its investigation progresses. For now, Byron remains suspended while interim leadership manages the company.