&w=3840&q=100)
Caught on concert cam: Astronomer CEO, HR chief spotted in Coldplay clip
Eşini, konserde insan kaynakları müdürüyle aldatan Astronomer şirketinin CEO'su Andy Byron, dev ekran kameralarına yakalandı. pic.twitter.com/rhhmEFkpZG
— Daily Hintiye (@DailyHintiye) July 18, 2025
During the Coldplay concert on Wednesday, the stadium's cam zoomed in on the duo enjoying the show together. The pair, Astronomer's CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot, were seen standing together. As the camera lingered, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin quipped, 'Oh, look at these two. Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.' Reacting to the surprise, Byron ducked out of sight while Cabot shielded her face.
Within hours, the moment — which the internet users are now calling 'Coldplaygate' — became one of the internet's top viral clips. The video, posted on TikTok and X, amassed millions of views by the morning.
Who is Andy Byron?
Andy Byron ascended to the CEO role at Astronomer, a New York-based data software company known for its Astro DataOps platform, in July 2023. Prior to Astronomer, Byron held executive leadership positions at several enterprise software firms, including Lacework, Cybereason, and Fuze, where he was instrumental in scaling revenues from approximately $20 million to over $100 million.
Newsweek reported that the private data infrastructure company achieved 'unicorn' status in 2022, reaching a valuation of at least $1 billion. The firm has since relocated its headquarters to New York City.
Before joining his current role, Andy Byron was with Lacework, where he served as President from June 2019 to November 2022, and later continued as an Advisor until May 2023. Between 2017 and 2019, Byron held the role of Chief Revenue Officer at Cybereason. His earlier career also includes serving as President and Chief Operating Officer at Fuze, along with positions at Vericenter and BMC Software.
Byron, 50, is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, an educator. The couple resides in Massachusetts with their two children. Astronomer itself has grown into a high-profile startup with an estimated valuation between $1.2 billion and $1.3 billion as of its latest funding round, making Byron a significant stakeholder in the tech industry.
Who is Kristin Cabot?
Kristin Cabot joined Astronomer as Chief People Officer in November 2024. With a background in talent management and leadership at high-growth tech companies, she was brought on to foster company culture and align 'people strategy' with Astronomer's ambitious business plans.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
an hour ago
- Time of India
Umiya Mobile IPO: Check GMP, price band and other details
Rajkot-based electronics and smartphone retailer Umiya Mobile will open its Rs 24.88 crore IPO for subscription on Monday with bidding to close on Wednesday. The IPO is a fixed price issue and entirely a fresh offer of 37.7 lakh shares priced at Rs 66 per share. Shares are proposed to list on the BSE SME platform, with the listing scheduled tentatively for August 4. Currently, the grey market premium (GMP) for the Umiya Mobile IPO stands at Rs 0, indicating no unofficial listing gains at present. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category CXO Operations Management Technology Cybersecurity Others Finance Design Thinking Artificial Intelligence Data Science Management MCA Public Policy PGDM Data Analytics Leadership others healthcare Product Management Degree Project Management MBA Data Science Digital Marketing Healthcare Skills you'll gain: Digital Strategy Development Expertise Emerging Technologies & Digital Trends Data-driven Decision Making Leadership in the Digital Age Duration: 40 Weeks Indian School of Business ISB Chief Digital Officer Starts on Jun 30, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Operations Strategy for Business Excellence Organizational Transformation Corporate Communication & Crisis Management Capstone Project Presentation Duration: 11 Months IIM Lucknow Chief Operations Officer Programme Starts on Jun 30, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Customer-Centricity & Brand Strategy Product Marketing, Distribution, & Analytics Digital Strategies & Innovation Skills Leadership Insights & AI Integration Expertise Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode IIMK Chief Marketing and Growth Officer Starts on Apr 7, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Technology Strategy & Innovation Emerging Technologies & Digital Transformation Leadership in Technology Management Cybersecurity & Risk Management Duration: 24 Weeks Indian School of Business ISB Chief Technology Officer Starts on Jun 28, 2024 Get Details Investors can bid in lots of 2,000 shares, with a minimum retail investment of Rs 2.64 lakh (4,000 shares). High net-worth individuals (HNIs) must apply for at least 6,000 shares, requiring Rs 3.96 lakh. The issue is split evenly between retail and HNI categories, with 47.48% shares each reserved for both. Company profile Umiya Mobile has grown into a multi-brand retailer selling smartphones, accessories, and consumer electronics. The company retails products from brands like Apple, Samsung, Realme, Xiaomi, Sony, LG, and others across 149 stores in Gujarat and 69 in Maharashtra. Live Events The company's diverse product portfolio spans smartphones, laptops, smartwatches, televisions, refrigerators, washing machines, and other appliances, catering to both urban and rural demand. As of FY25, the company had 127 employees on its rolls. Financial performance Umiya Mobile posted robust growth in FY25, with revenue up 33% YoY to Rs 601 crore, and net profit jumping 141% YoY to Rs 5.66 crore. However, margins remain thin, with PAT margin at just 0.94% and EBITDA margin at 1.82%. Use of Proceeds The company plans to use Rs 19 crore from the IPO proceeds to repay or prepay borrowings, and the rest for general corporate purposes. The IPO is managed by Smart Horizon Capital Advisors, with Bigshare Services as the registrar and Shreni Shares as the market maker.
Mint
3 hours ago
- Mint
Astronomer PR Pivot - Celebrity cameo turns crisis management into B-school Case
Mumbai: Little did Astronomer, the Boston-based digital solutions provider and cloud data platform, know that the way it handled the global backlash following its top CXOs being caught in a compromising position in public would eventually be taught in classrooms at some of the top business schools in India. The company's attempt to change the narrative by bringing in actor and lifestyle brand founder Gwyneth Paltrow as a 'temporary spokesperson" is now poised to become a discussion point in academic circles. Management students will debate whether wry humour (since Paltrow is the ex-wife of Chris Martin, lead singer of the band Coldplay, during whose concert the couple was caught on camera) will be enough. They will question whether this step was a 'clever or wise" form of crisis management, and whether shareholders and consumers are truly swayed by star power. 'I can envisage this becoming a massive case study in the coming days. The case illustrates the power of humour, irony, and sarcasm as tools to convey a strong message effectively, especially when facing negative PR," said Viswanath Pingali, who teaches economics at Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad. Pingali's research interests include digital markets and healthcare. 'The text clearly communicates what the firm stands for, and what its core business is. Everything else is ephemeral and should be treated as such. Sarcasm and irony, when used in the right amounts, can convey the message very effectively," Pingali pointed out. "The opening remark, 'I am hired on a very temporary basis,' is also highly suggestive of what Astronomer thinks, and what it wants us to think about the crisis." IIMs and other business schools regularly discuss case studies on the dos and don'ts of corporate governance, brand management, and, often, live cases — those that are ongoing. These could include global events, major mergers and acquisitions, or sectoral shifts during rare occurrences like a pandemic, which force firms to alter their operations and adapt quickly. Classes in Strategy, HR, Marketing, and Economics are where such cases are discussed to understand their impact on share prices, client perceptions, and business outcomes. For instance, last year, strategy management, business development, and market analysis were threads picked up while discussing the general elections in classrooms. Some case studies also get published. IIM Bangalore's case study on the use of digital media in the promotion of the film 1920: Evil Returns was published by Harvard Business Publishing. According to the institute's website, the case study is being used by students even in the US, Canada, Norway, and Slovenia. The IIM Bangalore study highlighted the social media marketing strategy of this smaller budget movie, and how it was targeted at an audience that knew about the franchises and watched the horror genre. Speaking about the inclusion of the Astronomer episode in the classroom, Debashis Chatterjee, director of IIM Kozhikode, said the students will be given open-ended questions. 'They will debate 'clever versus wise' crisis management. Will the image portrayed by the firm over the weekend become a case of perception management, and what would have been the 'right' thing to do?" On 26 July, a video on Astronomer's social media featured Paltrow sidestepping the controversy to speak about the work the firm does. 'I've been hired on a very temporary basis to speak on behalf of the 300+ employees at Astronomer," she said. Barely a month ago, the company's chief executive officer (CEO) Andy Byron and the human resources head, Kristen Cabot, were caught on camera during a Coldplay concert 'Kiss Cam' moment. The firm then faced tremendous backlash regarding ethics and management challenges. However, the recent video once again turned online conversations toward whether the crisis might be averted, as the firm attempts to refocus attention on its core business. 'The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies--let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world--ever encounter. The spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team, and while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name," said interim CEO Pete DeJoy in a note posted on the firm's website. A professor who teaches entrepreneurship at one of the IIMs said the question posed to students will be: 'How do you tell an audience that you and your firm are different from the episode?" 'You have to make fundamental changes and show the audience that you've addressed the issue, and detail what went wrong and why," said the professor, who wished to remain anonymous. The discussion could also veer around on how to convert a sticky situation into an opportunity. 'One needs to see if the funnel of talent and client will increase for the company in the long term since it is a B2B (business-to-business) firm and not a B2C (business-to-consumer), said Sourav Mukherji, who teaches Organizational Behaviour & Human Resources Management at IIM Bangalore. "The class may also discuss how no publicity, however infamous, is bad publicity," he said, wrapping it up.
Mint
4 hours ago
- Mint
India gets a new No. 7 IT services company as churn continues
Coforge Ltd is now the country's seventh-largest software services outsourcer by revenue as it toppledMphasis Ltd, reflecting the competition and churn in India's mid-sized information technology segment. Noida-based Coforge, formerly NIIT Technologies Ltd, reported $442 million in revenue for the three months ended June 2025, growing 9.6% sequentially. Bengaluru-based Mphasis's revenue rose 1.6% to $437 million during the first quarter. Coforge has jumped three spots in less than a year. It had nudged ahead ofPersistent Systems Ltd in September 2024, and overtookHexaware Technologies Ltd last December. Growth has slowed for Pune-based Persistent and Mphasis due to client and sector-specific concerns. This is the fifth instance of a change in the pecking order in the country's $283-billion IT industry in less than two years, a period also marked by global uncertainties and caution among clients. Many of the changes in Indian IT's revenue ranking involved mid-cap firms. Analysts at Kotak Institutional Equities expect Coforge will break into the top six, which generate at least $1 billion in revenue annually. 'We believe Coforge will exit FY2026, with a revenue run-rate of US$2 bn and on [a] ttm (trailing twelve months) basis by the June 2026 quarter. This is impressive against the backdrop of the industry slowdown where peers are struggling," said Kotak's Kawaljeet Saluja, Sathishkumar S, and Vamshi Krishna, in a 25 July note. Mphasis ceded ground to Coforge after losing business from Fedex Corp, which is one of its oldest clients and accounted for 8% of its revenue. The company's revenue from logistics and transportation companies fell by almost half to ₹2,171 million (about $25 million) in the June quarter. The big four of the information technology (IT) services sector include Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, Infosys Ltd, HCL Technologies Ltd andWipro Ltd, which together account for 26% of the Mahindra Ltd andLTIMindtree Ltd are the fifth and the sixth-largest IT outsourcers. Coforge on a roll At the heart of Coforge's growth is the 13-year software product delivery deal with Sabre, a Texas-based travel tech company with a deal value of $1.56 billion and signed in March this year. The company's revenue also got a big boost from its biggest acquisition in May last year, that of Hyderabad-basedCigniti Technologies,a digital assurance and engineering services company. Coforge acquired a 54% stake in the company for $220 million. Even investors are buying into the Coforge story. Its share price has almost jumped fourfold since May 2017, when Sudhir Singh joined as its chief executive, to ₹1,689.35 on Friday's close. By comparison, the benchmark BSE Sensex rose almost threefold to 81,463.09 points during the period. Still, Coforge has its challenges. For one, there was not much cheer on the profitability front as Coforge's operating margins at 13.1% were largely flat on a sequential basis in the first quarter of FY26. Another concern for the company is its free cash flow, or the cash left after operating expenses and capital expenditure. Coforge spent more money than it earned through its operations as negative free cash flow for the quarter totalled $21.5 million. It is optimistic about a turnaround. 'I would expect quarter 2 also to be an equally robust quarter. And H2, just using that term for a third time, should also be a robust second half for us," said CEO Singh during the company's post-earnings analyst call on 24 July. Mid-cap churn Mid-cap companies stay neck-and-neck by revenue. Mint's April analysis revealed that the revenue gap between the seventh and the twelfth-largest IT outsourcers is about $600 million. Persistent Systems, Hexaware and L&T Technology Services ended the June 2025 quarter with a revenue of $389.7 million, $382.1 million, and $335 million, respectively. At the same time,Sonata Software Ltd overtook L&T Technology Services Ltd to become the country's 11th-largest IT services provider. Firstsource Solutions Ltd could be the latest to enter the Indian IT's $1-billion revenue club. The Billionaire Sanjiv Goenka-owned firm ended the January-March period with $250 million in top line, up 0.4% sequentially. If the company generates at least $250 million each in the rest of the four quarters, it would hit $1 billion in yearly revenue. Firstsource has yet to announce its results for the June first quarter of the current fiscal year. Stability at top While the mid-cap IT has seen frequent churn over recent years, the top order is intact. And it's likely to stay stable for some time as the difference in the quarterly revenue of LTIMindtree and Coforge is now $711 million–or about 60% Coforge's current Q1 revenue. The pecking order at the top has been stable since 2018, when HCL Technologies Ltd overtook Wipro Ltd as the country's third-largest IT outsourcer. Even though the second-largest Infosys Ltd and Nasdaq-listed Cognizant Technology Solutions Corp have been edging past each other, the rankings have not changed materially.
