CEO of Astronomer Placed on Leave Following Viral Coldplay Concert Video

USA NEWS TODAY, July 19, 2025

A tech executive has been placed on leave after a viral concert moment captured more than just Coldplay’s performance.

Andy Byron, CEO of New York-based tech firm Astronomer, is taking a leave of absence after a video from a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Massachusetts showed him embracing his colleague Kristin Cabot, the company’s Chief People Officer, on the venue’s Jumbotron. The clip, which quickly spread online, shows the pair snuggling before abruptly separating and looking embarrassed as they realized they were being broadcast live to thousands.

The band was performing their track “The Jumbotron Song” when frontman Chris Martin paused to comment on the moment. “Whoa, look at these two,” he said. “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

Social media users swiftly identified the pair, sparking widespread discussion, memes, and speculative commentary across platforms. The unexpected attention pushed the company into the spotlight — and prompted immediate internal action.

In a statement issued Friday night, Astronomer announced that co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy will step in as interim CEO. The company emphasized that leadership must uphold "the highest standards of conduct and accountability."

“Our board has launched a formal investigation into the situation,” the statement said. “We’ll provide more details as appropriate.”

The company also addressed misinformation spreading online, including the false identification of a third person in the video and a parody X (formerly Twitter) account falsely claiming to speak for Byron.

The embrace, while brief, has led to intense scrutiny due to Cabot's role overseeing human resources at the company — raising questions about professional boundaries and executive ethics. Neither Byron nor Cabot has issued a public statement at this time.

CNN has reached out to a representative for Coldplay but has not yet received a response.

As of Friday, the video remains widely shared and continues to fuel online debate — another reminder of how a few seconds on screen can lead to major real-world consequences.