Latest news with #Cabot
India.com
15 minutes ago
- Business
- India.com
Embattled Astronomer CEO Andy Byron Steps Down After Kiss Cam Chaos At Coldplay
New Delhi: Andy Byron, the CEO of the US tech company Astronomer, has quit his job after video footage showed him in a close, personal moment with a female coworker during a Coldplay concert in Boston. The incident got a lot of attention online and ended up in headlines around the world. The company posted a message on LinkedIn, admitting that their usual standards weren't met. They said, 'Our leaders need to show good behavior and take responsibility, and recently that didn't happen. Andy Byron has resigned, and the Board has accepted it. We'll now begin looking for a new CEO. For now, Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy will be the interim CEO.' Astronomer also told everyone that although lots more people now know about the company because of this incident, their product and focus on helping customers with data and AI problems haven't changed. This all happened one day after the company put Byron on leave. The Board of Directors started a formal investigation into what happened between Byron and Astronomer's HR chief, Kristin Cabot. Drama During Coldplay Concert The trouble began when Byron and Cabot were caught by the 'Kiss Cam' at the concert. The video showed the two hugging and then quickly pulling apart as they realized the camera was on them—Byron ducked down while Cabot tried to cover her face, which made them look like they were hiding something. Even Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin joked about it, saying on the microphone that the couple was either very shy or "having an affair." In a follow-up video, he even said, 'Oh s**t, I hope we didn't do something bad.' People on social media also noticed another woman next to them who seemed amused by it all. Some reports said she was Alyssa Stoddard, another Astronomer employee, but the company later said that was wrong: Alyssa wasn't at the concert, and no other company employees were caught in the video. The situation became even more serious because both Byron and Cabot are married to other people. After the video went viral, Byron's wife—Megan Kerrigan, who works at a school—dropped his last name from her Facebook and then deleted her account completely. Byron had only been CEO since 2023 and brought Cabot onto the team in November 2024. He'd earlier posted online about how much she had helped improve the company, but that post has since been deleted.
Economic Times
3 hours ago
- Business
- Economic Times
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron resigns after Coldplay kiss cam clip with HR head Kristin Cabot
Andy Byron has resigned as CEO of Astronomer, a US-based AI and data platform company, after a viral video showed him embracing colleague Kristin Cabot at a Coldplay concert. The clip sparked online speculation, especially after it was revealed both are married to other people. Byron was placed on leave before his resignation was formally accepted. Cabot's job status remains unclear. The firm says its operations continue unchanged and that it remains committed to its stated values. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads The Coldplay moment Speculation and silence Leadership vacuum and online reaction Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Where the company stands now Andy Byron, chief executive of Astronomer Inc. , has resigned following widespread backlash from a viral video taken at a Coldplay concert. In the footage, Byron was seen closely embracing the company's Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot . Both are married. The company confirmed his resignation in a public statement released on Saturday.'Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding,' the company wrote on LinkedIn. 'Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met. Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.'The incident and its fallout have placed Astronomer in an unrelenting media spotlight. The company, known for its Astro platform built on Apache Airflow , insists its product and client work remain unaffected.'While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not. We're continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data and AI problems,' the company story began on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. During a Coldplay concert, Byron and Cabot appeared on the venue's kiss cam. As the camera panned to them, the pair were seen hugging. Byron quickly ducked out of frame and Cabot spun around, covering her face with her lead singer Chris Martin, noticing the pair on screen, commented to the crowd, 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.' That single line lit the clip spread rapidly across social media. Within hours, online users had identified the pair through their professional profiles. The clip didn't just spark gossip — it brought with it Thursday, both Byron and Cabot had been placed on administrative leave. Astronomer responded swiftly, releasing a statement reiterating its commitment to accountability: 'The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter, and we will have additional details to share very shortly.'Neither Byron nor Cabot has issued any public comment since the incident. What fuelled the public interest further was that both hold senior roles and are publicly known to be married. Byron's wife is marketing professional Megan Kerrigan, while Cabot is married to Andrew Cabot, CEO of Privateer company spokesperson confirmed that only the two individuals involved were employees of Astronomer. However, when asked specifically about Cabot's job status, the spokesperson declined to comment. As of now, she remains on leave, and no decision has been did clarify that online rumours wrongly identified the woman in the video as Vice President of Human Resources Alyssa Stoddard. The woman shown was in fact Kristin had only been CEO of Astronomer since July 2023. Cabot joined in November 2024 as Chief People Officer, overseeing the company's HR and workplace culture functions. Both were considered central to the company's recent restructuring and the days since the video went viral, Astronomer's social media has been flooded with comments and speculation, including demands for Cabot's resignation.'I wonder if Kristin Cabot will also resign,' one user posted on X (formerly Twitter). Another wrote, 'You'd have to think that Kristin Cabot will resign or be terminated also. My heart goes out to Megan Kerrigan and her two teen sons. The fallout of this date is devastatingly wild.'The board has not commented publicly on whether further action is the storm, Astronomer has made clear it's not changing course. In its public communications, the company has focused on distancing its work from the controversy and doubling down on its mission in the data and AI DeJoy, now interim CEO, is expected to lead while the board conducts its executive search. No timeline has been provided for when a permanent CEO will be internal investigation is still now, Astronomer appears determined to close the chapter and return focus to its product. Whether the public and its clients see it the same way remains to be seen.(With inputs from Reuters)
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron resigns after Coldplay kiss cam clip with HR head Kristin Cabot
Andy Byron, chief executive of Astronomer Inc. , has resigned following widespread backlash from a viral video taken at a Coldplay concert. In the footage, Byron was seen closely embracing the company's Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot . Both are married. The company confirmed his resignation in a public statement released on Saturday. 'Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding,' the company wrote on LinkedIn. 'Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met. Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.' Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category others CXO Digital Marketing Design Thinking Others MBA Data Analytics Data Science Product Management MCA Operations Management PGDM healthcare Artificial Intelligence Finance Cybersecurity Data Science Public Policy Management Project Management Technology Degree Leadership Healthcare Skills you'll gain: Duration: 16 Weeks Indian School of Business CERT - ISB Cybersecurity for Leaders Program India Starts on undefined Get Details The incident and its fallout have placed Astronomer in an unrelenting media spotlight. The company, known for its Astro platform built on Apache Airflow , insists its product and client work remain unaffected. 'While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not. We're continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data and AI problems,' the company said. — astronomerio (@astronomerio) Live Events The Coldplay moment The story began on Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. During a Coldplay concert, Byron and Cabot appeared on the venue's kiss cam. As the camera panned to them, the pair were seen hugging. Byron quickly ducked out of frame and Cabot spun around, covering her face with her hands. Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin, noticing the pair on screen, commented to the crowd, 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.' That single line lit the match. The clip spread rapidly across social media. Within hours, online users had identified the pair through their professional profiles. The clip didn't just spark gossip — it brought with it consequences. By Thursday, both Byron and Cabot had been placed on administrative leave. Astronomer responded swiftly, releasing a statement reiterating its commitment to accountability: 'The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter, and we will have additional details to share very shortly.' Speculation and silence Neither Byron nor Cabot has issued any public comment since the incident. What fuelled the public interest further was that both hold senior roles and are publicly known to be married. Byron's wife is marketing professional Megan Kerrigan, while Cabot is married to Andrew Cabot, CEO of Privateer Rum. The company spokesperson confirmed that only the two individuals involved were employees of Astronomer. However, when asked specifically about Cabot's job status, the spokesperson declined to comment. As of now, she remains on leave, and no decision has been announced. Astronomer did clarify that online rumours wrongly identified the woman in the video as Vice President of Human Resources Alyssa Stoddard. The woman shown was in fact Kristin Cabot. Leadership vacuum and online reaction Byron had only been CEO of Astronomer since July 2023. Cabot joined in November 2024 as Chief People Officer, overseeing the company's HR and workplace culture functions. Both were considered central to the company's recent restructuring and growth. In the days since the video went viral, Astronomer's social media has been flooded with comments and speculation, including demands for Cabot's resignation. 'I wonder if Kristin Cabot will also resign,' one user posted on X (formerly Twitter). Another wrote, 'You'd have to think that Kristin Cabot will resign or be terminated also. My heart goes out to Megan Kerrigan and her two teen sons. The fallout of this date is devastatingly wild.' The board has not commented publicly on whether further action is expected. Where the company stands now Despite the storm, Astronomer has made clear it's not changing course. In its public communications, the company has focused on distancing its work from the controversy and doubling down on its mission in the data and AI space. Pete DeJoy, now interim CEO, is expected to lead while the board conducts its executive search. No timeline has been provided for when a permanent CEO will be appointed. The internal investigation is still underway. For now, Astronomer appears determined to close the chapter and return focus to its product. Whether the public and its clients see it the same way remains to be seen.
Time of India
6 hours ago
- Business
- Time of India
Astronomer HR Head Kristine Cabot is yet to resign even though Coldplay concert cheating scandal costs Andy Byron his job
Astronomer Inc has been rocked by Coldplay Kiss cam cheating scandal Andy Byron has resigned from the post of Chief Executive Officer (CEO). However, multiple reports have confirmed that the company's HR head Kristine Cabot , who was seen sharing cozy moments with Byron at the British Rock Band's event, is still working as Chief People Officer. The statement released by Astronomer has revealed who will be the new CEO but didn't mention anything about Cabot. Cabot joined the company in November 2024. Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO, Astronomer statement reads. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Select a Course Category Leadership Public Policy MCA Finance Cybersecurity healthcare CXO Degree Healthcare Digital Marketing others Data Science Product Management Operations Management PGDM MBA Others Data Analytics Project Management Management Data Science Technology Artificial Intelligence Design Thinking Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode Senior Management Programme Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Opportunities & Outlining Plans to use AI & ML Applying Data-Driven Business Innovation Best Practices Changing Culture to Integrate AI-Enabled Technologies Ethics, Privacy and Regulations in AI & ML Duration: 20 Weeks Indian School of Business ISB Leadership in AI Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode Advanced Strategic Management Programme Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 11 Months IIM Lucknow CERT-IIML SLP India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK-Women Leadership Programme INDIA Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 10 Months IIM Indore Executive Programme in Business Management Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 18 Weeks 109820388 Strategic Marketing for Leaders: Leveraging AI for Growth Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Financial Accounting & Analysis Financial Instruments & Markets Corporate Finance & Valuation Investment Management & Banking Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode IIMK Professional Certificate in Financial Analysis and Financial Management Starts on Mar 30, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 22 Weeks Indian School of Business SEPO - ISB Venture Capital & Private Equity India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode SEPO - IIMK CEO Programme India Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Strategic Thinking & Planning Competitive Advantage & Market Positioning Strategic Leadership & Decision-Making Change Management & Organizational Transformation Duration: 1 Year IIM Kozhikode IIMK Advanced Strategic Management Programme Starts on Mar 30, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Critical Thinking & Decision-Making Skills Power of Emerging Technologies Innovation and Drive Organizational Change Fostering a Culture of Innovation Duration: 9 Months MIT xPRO MIT Technology Leadership and Innovation Starts on May 14, 2024 Get Details Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Weeks IIM Kozhikode CERT-IIMK EPIS Async India Starts on undefined Get Details Agencies by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like If You Find These Bugs in Al Sadr City, Do Something Immediately Undo As stated previously, 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, and recently, that standard was not met, as per the company statement. Before this week, we were known as a pioneer in the DataOps space, helping data teams power everything from modern analytics to production AI. While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not. We're continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data and AI problems, as per the Astronomer statement. Live Events Cabot is yet to talk about her future moves on the professional front even as Astronomer has not divulged too many details about her position in the company. The move comes a day after the company said that Byron had been placed on leave and the board of directors had launched a formal investigation into the incident, which went viral. A short video clip from Coldplay's concert Wednesday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, showed a man and a woman cuddling and smiling, his arms wrapped around her, as she leaned back into him. When they saw themselves on the big screen, her jaw dropped, her hands flew to her face and she spun away from the camera. He ducked out of the frame, as did she. Lead singer Chris Martin had asked the cameras to scan the crowd for his 'Jumbotron Song,' when he sings a few lines about the people the camera lands on. 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy,' he joked. FAQs Q1. Who is interim CEO of Astronomer Inc? A1. Interim CEO of Astronomer Inc is Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy. Q2. What happened at Coldplay concert? A2. A short video clip from Coldplay's concert Wednesday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, showed a man and a woman cuddling and smiling, his arms wrapped around her, as she leaned back into him. When they saw themselves on the big screen, her jaw dropped, her hands flew to her face and she spun away from the camera. He ducked out of the frame, as did she.
Boston Globe
7 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
‘Coldplaygate' is a stark reminder that cameras are everywhere
Advertisement 'Oh, look at these two,' Martin said, prepared to sing another sweet song. Then things became awkward. Get Love Letters: The Newsletter A weekly dispatch with all the best relationship content and commentary – plus exclusive content for fans of Love Letters, Dinner With Cupid, weddings, therapy talk, and more. Enter Email Sign Up Coldplay's Chris Martin accidentally exposes astronomer CEO Andy Byron having an affair with his HR chief Kristin Cabot. — Pop Crave (@PopCrave) When Cabot noticed her face on the screen, she immediately jumped out of Byron's arms, covered her face and turned around. He ducked out of view. A woman standing beside them was seen cupping her face in disbelief, her mouth wide open. Martin, realizing what was happening, said: 'Wow, what? Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy. I'm not quite sure what to do.' The identities of Byron and Cabot were confirmed by a spokesperson for Astronomer on Friday night after the company issued a statement saying Byron had been placed on leave and that the company's chief product officer, Peter DeJoy, would serve as interim CEO. Advertisement On Saturday, Astronomer announced that Byron The incident, which has dominated social media, was a stark reminder of how quickly things can spread thanks to social media and how cameras are surrounding people at all times. That is especially true at large concerts where fans are often recording snippets or streaming them on social media. Case in point: The video of Wednesday's interaction was posted by a concertgoer with a modest TikTok following. But thanks to the power of that app's algorithm, it had more than 77 million views as of Friday evening. It took only a few seconds of video for Byron and Cabot to thoroughly dominate internet discourse and become an instant meme, which many have called 'Coldplaygate.' As the video circulated, some shared their advice for the couple, suggesting they could have covered themselves in a blanket or thrown on a pair of shades. Others pointed out how awkward things would be at their office the next day. The moment proceeded to be shared, and joked about, by politicians, corporations and even New York City's sanitation department. From there, it turned into a broader discussion of privacy and why they had been wrong to assume they would not be seen and, potentially, recorded. As stated previously, 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, and recently, that standard was not met. Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and… — Astronomer (@astronomerio) 'If you're in a public place, there is absolutely no expectation of privacy,' said Charles Lindsey, an associate professor of marketing at University at Buffalo School of Management. 'When you're in a public place, whether it be a public park, a store, a concert, there are cameras, and if it's on camera, you can't take it back.' Advertisement That lesson had been learned by plenty of people before this incident. There was the time in May when the door of a plane carrying French President Emmanuel Macron had just been opened by staff in Hanoi, Vietnam, when his wife, Brigitte Macron, pushed him in the face. When he looked up and noticed a camera filming the scene from outside, he waved. The video quickly gained traction online, leading to a flurry of interpretations. In 2024, there was a great deal of debate over a woman posting videos on TikTok in which she assumed she was witnessing an extramarital affair taking place on a plane. And there was the infamous Met Gala elevator incident in 2014, where Solange Knowles was seen attacking Jay-Z while her sister, Beyoncé, stood watching and a bodyguard tried to restore order. The security-cam footage leaked to TMZ, and it became fodder for the public. 'We live in a very intrusive world, in terms of cameras and digital footprints,' Lindsey said. 'It can take 10 or 20 years to build a reputation, and you can lose it in a moment.' This article originally appeared in .
