Coldplay saga: Astronomer CEO Andy Byron resigns

 

Andy Byron, CEO of the New York-based tech firm Astronomer, has resigned amid uproar over a viral video at Coldplay concert, that raised eyebrows online and sparked rumors of a workplace romance.

The clip, filmed at a Coldplay concert in Foxborough, Massachusetts, shows a man and woman hugging in the crowd. Their visibly awkward reaction after appearing on the jumbotron drew widespread attention, especially when lead singer Chris Martin joked, “Uh-oh, what? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

Internet sleuths quickly identified the pair as Byron and Kristin Cabot, Astronomer’s Chief People Officer, fueling speculation about an inappropriate office relationship.

The footage quickly spread across TikTok and other platforms, generating millions of views and a wave of internet memes—many highlighting the irony of a senior HR executive being at the center of a scandal. 

Coldplay saga: Astronomer CEO Andy Byron resigns after

Astronomer confirmed Byron’s resignation in a LinkedIn statement, saying the company holds its leaders to “a high standard of conduct and accountability”—a standard they admitted was recently not upheld.

An internal probe into the matter had already been launched before Byron stepped down.

Amid the online chaos, a supposed apology from Byron also went viral but was later exposed as a hoax from a parody account.

Neither Byron nor Cabot has issued any public statement since the incident.