CEO of tech firm placed on leave after viral Coldplay ‘kiss cam’ clip prompts internal probe
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Astronomer CEO Andy Byron was reportedly seen in kiss cam footage with Ms Kristin Cabot, the firm’s HR chief, locked in an embrace during a July 16 Coldplay concert in Boston.
PHOTOS: AFP, INSTAAGRAACE/TIKTOK
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The chief executive of a US tech firm has been placed on leave after a video of a couple on a “kiss cam” at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts went viral, sparking speculation that he was the man in the clip.
The company, Astronomer, has launched a formal investigation into the incident.
The clip, captured during the British band’s July 16 show, was broadcast on the venue’s “kiss cam”,
In the clip, a couple is seen embracing and swaying to the music before ducking when their faces appear on the giant screen.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, reacting in real time, quipped to the audience: “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”
The video initially surfaced on TikTok, where it received millions of views, before spreading across other platforms and being turned into memes.
The man in the video has been identified in online posts and media reports as Mr Andy Byron, the married chief executive of Ohio-based data software company Astronomer. The woman has been identified as Ms Kristin Cabot, the firm’s chief human resources officer.
Mr Byron’s wife Megan Kerrigan removed her married name from her Facebook handle on July 17 and subsequently deleted the account, according to the New York Post.
Massachusetts court records cited by the New York Post show Ms Cabot was divorced in 2022.
Neither has confirmed their identity in the footage, and the BBC said it was unable to verify who was in the video.
In a LinkedIn post on July 19, Astronomer said co-founder and chief product officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim chief executive, as Mr Byron has been placed on leave. The company added that it would share more details as appropriate in the coming days.
According to British news outlet The Guardian on July 18, a source familiar with the matter said Ms Cabot had also been placed on leave.
Astronomer has not commented on their employment status. The source also said the delay in the company’s response was partly due to negotiations over Mr Byron’s exit package.
In a statement released on social media on July 18, Astronomer did not reference the concert or the individuals involved, but said it had launched a formal investigation.
“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability,” the company said.
“The board of directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.”
The firm also denied that any other employees were present in the video, and clarified that Mr Byron had not issued any personal statement, contrary to fake posts circulating online.
Founded in 2018, Astronomer develops tools for data orchestration and workflow automation using Apache Airflow, an open-source platform used by companies to manage complex data pipelines.
Mr Byron joined Astronomer as CEO in July 2023. Ms Cabot, who was appointed in November 2024, was previously praised by Mr Byron for her “exceptional leadership and deep expertise” in talent management and people strategy.
Mr Byron has since deleted
