Andy Byron, CEO of U.S.-based tech firm Astronomer, has resigned after a video of him embracing a female colleague at a Coldplay concert went viral, sparking widespread speculation and internet memes. The incident occurred during a show in Foxborough, Massachusetts, when a jumbotron camera captured a man and woman swaying and hugging in the stands. Upon realizing they were being filmed, the pair quickly ducked out of sight, prompting Coldplay’s lead singer, Chris Martin, to joke, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”
Social media users quickly identified the two as Byron and Kristin Cabot, Astronomer’s Chief People Officer. Though media outlets like the BBC could not independently verify the identities, the footage fueled speculation of a workplace relationship, drawing attention to the irony of an HR executive being involved. One viral post quipped, “The craziest thing about the Astronomer CEO cheating scandal is it was the HR lady.”

In response, Astronomer launched an internal investigation and placed Byron on leave. On Saturday, the company announced via LinkedIn that he had tendered his resignation, stating: “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.”
The video garnered millions of views across platforms, spawning parodies—including one by the Philadelphia Phillies’ mascots—and a fake apology letter falsely attributed to Byron, later confirmed as a parody. The company’s Chief Product Officer will serve as interim CEO during the leadership transition.
Sources