All it took was a moment on the “kiss cam” at a Coldplay concert to trigger a leadership shakeup at Astronomer. A viral image of CEO Andy Byron cozying up to Kristin Cabot, the company’s head of HR, lit up the Jumbotron, and then the internet, forcing the AI start-up to suspend both executives and appoint cofounder Pete DeJoy as interim CEO.
“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability,” Astronomer said in a statement released Friday. The move came as the company launched an internal investigation into the incident, which spilled far beyond the tech world after being caught on camera and broadcast to thousands of concertgoers.
The photo, captured Wednesday night, showed Byron and Cabot embracing during the show. Both are reportedly married to other people. The pair quickly ducked out of view, but not before the moment spread online, sparking scrutiny and speculation.
As of Saturday morning, Byron and Cabot were still listed on Astronomer’s leadership page, though neither has publicly addressed the incident.
Pete DeJoy, who has now stepped in as acting CEO, is no stranger to the company. A native of Westchester County, New York, DeJoy co-founded Astronomer in 2017 shortly after graduating from Bowdoin College in Maine, where he briefly played on the football team.
“Did whatever it took to bring the first incarnations of our commercial offerings to market and build our business,” DeJoy wrote on his LinkedIn profile.
He was promoted to senior vice president in 2023 and named Chief Product Officer earlier this year. He currently lives in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, with his wife.
Adding to the surreal tone of the episode was the reaction from Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin, who flashed a knowing smile from the stage after the image aired.
