Astronomer CEO, HR chief put on leave after Coldplay concert scandal
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Data operations platform Astronomer has put its chief executive Andy Byron and chief people officer Kristin Cabot on leave pending an investigation into their alleged affair, Axios reported.In an X post on Saturday, the company said cofounder and chief product officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO.The Astronomer executives were shown kissing and cuddling on the jumbo screen at a Coldplay concert in Massachusetts on Thursday, thrusting them and the company into an uncomfortable spotlight."Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability. The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly," the company said.The company further clarified that Alyssa Stoddard—the recently promoted senior director of people at Astronomer—was not at the concert. The footage of Byron and Cabot shows an embarrassed and red-faced woman next to them who was mistakenly identified as Stoddard.There has been no official statement from Byron and Cabot on the matter so far.The scandal has taken a hit on Astronomer's corporate reputation. The company's delayed statement has not helped the matter either."Their reputations may be linked, but their interests may diverge. The company needs to address whether any policies were potentially broken or [if] conduct needs to be investigated. Separately, the CEO can choose to address the personal implications and ramifications of what occurred. But don't conflate the two," Andrew Koneschusky, founder and CEO of Beltway Advisors told Axios.Astronomer is a data operations software startup backed by Salesforce Ventures, Insight Partners, Bain Venture Capital and JP Morgan Chase. The company raised funds in a Series D round in May led by Bain Venture Capital. Its product, Astro, helps build data products that offer insights, AI value and power data-driven applications.Byron had joined the company in 2023 and is a member of its board.
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Time of India
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