Latest news with #DeJoy
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New Astronomer CEO Releases Statement After Coldplay Kiss Cam Scandal
Pete DeJoy, the new interim CEO of Astronomer, is reflecting on the aftermath of the viral Coldplay kiss cam scandal involving former CEO Andy Byron. 'Over the weekend, I stepped into the role of Interim CEO at Astronomer, a company that I've proudly poured my entire professional life into helping build,' DeJoy wrote in a statement shared via LinkedIn on Monday, July 21. 'Over the past few years, our business has experienced incredible growth. What was once a mission to help companies with Apache Airflow has turned into so much more. We're privileged to sit at the center of our customers' data & AI strategy, powering data pipelines behind in-game analytics of your favorite sports team, LLM powered chatbots for customer support, training AI for self-driving cars and every mission-critical process in between.' DeJoy noted that the 'events of the past few days' 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,' he wrote. 'At Astronomer we have never shied away from challenges; a near-decade of building this business has tested us time and time again, and each time we've emerged stronger. From starting a software company in Cincinnati, Ohio, to keeping the lights on through the collapse of the bank that held all our cash, to scaling from 30 to 300 people during a global pandemic that demanded we do it all without ever being in the same room. And yet, we're still here.' Astronomer Announces New Interim CEO After Andy Byron Caught on Coldplay Kiss Cam With Kristin Cabot DeJoy shared that Astronomer is still thriving because the company was 'built by people who live to solve hard problems, stay late to fix what's broken and care deeply about doing things the right way.' He noted that the customers trust Astronomer with their 'most ambitious data & AI projects' and that the company is succeeding because 'the mission is bigger than any one moment.' 'I'm stepping into this role with a wholehearted commitment to taking care of our people and delivering for our customers. Astronomer's foundation remains strong, built around the thriving Apache Airflow community. Our opportunity to build a DataOps platform for the age of AI remains massive. And our story is very much still being written,' DeJoy concluded. 'To our team: thank you for your resilience & commitment to building something great. And to our community and customers: thank you for your trust. We won't let you down.' DeJoy's statement comes days after Us Weekly confirmed that Byron resigned from his role after he was caught on the jumbotron cozying up to employee Kristin Cabot at Coldplay's Wednesday, July 16, performance at Gillette Stadium outside Boston. When the cameras panned to the pair embracing, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin called out Byron and Cabot, leading him to duck and her to cover her face in her hands. 'Whoa, look at these two. All right, come on. You're OK,' Martin, 48, told the audience. 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy. I'm not quite sure what to do.' Andy, who is reportedly married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, and Cabot have yet to publicly address their relationship status. Us Weekly reached out for comment. (The New York Post reported that Cabot divorced ex-husband Kenneth Thornby in 2022.) Solve the daily Crossword
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Pete DeJoy education qualification: How a science grad from Bowdoin College is now steering Astronomer as interim CEO
In the startup world, leadership transitions are often swift and strategic. But few unfold under the kind of spotlight that recently surrounded Astronomer, the data orchestration company best known for commercialising Apache Airflow. When former CEO Andy Byron stepped down amid a wave of media attention and controversy, the company didn't look to external talent or polished executive search firms. Instead, it turned to someone who had been there since the beginning, Pete DeJoy. DeJoy, a co-founder of Astronomer, wasn't just another name on the leadership bench. He had spent years helping shape the company's technical and cultural identity from the ground up. His educational journey, which began in the chemistry and physics departments of Bowdoin College, reflects a grounding not in corporate theory, but in systems thinking, scientific discipline, and analytical rigor. Dejoy's powerful foundation at Bowdoin College Bowdoin College, located in the quiet town of Brunswick, Maine, has long been known for its strong liberal arts tradition. It is not a school typically associated with Silicon Valley-style disruption, but it has a history of producing thinkers with the curiosity and depth needed to lead in complex environments. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo DeJoy's bachelors in chemistry and physics gave him exactly that, a foundation built not just on formulas and lab reports, but on critical thinking, research-based inquiry, and long-term problem-solving. Unlike many startup leaders who lean on business school pedigrees, DeJoy's path has been shaped by his exposure to scientific complexity and intellectual versatility. The cross-disciplinary nature of his education seems to have quietly influenced his leadership style. Whether debugging a data pipeline issue or navigating a boardroom conversation, he brings a methodical approach rooted in the habits of a trained scientist. Building Astronomer from the ground up DeJoy's role at Astronomer predates the company's rapid growth and recent media buzz. In his own words, shared via LinkedIn, he has 'poured his entire professional life' into the company. What began as a focused mission to help businesses adopt and manage Apache Airflow more effectively has, over time, evolved into a central player in the global data and AI infrastructure stack, as he also noted. Much of that growth happened under the radar, with DeJoy at the helm of product and platform development. The pandemic years tested the startup's agility, scaling the company from 30 to 300 employees without ever gathering in the same room. Through these challenges, DeJoy remained a constant, solving hard problems, staying late to fix what was broken, and mentoring new engineers who joined the ride. Rising to lead in an unexpected moment When Astronomer recently found itself under public scrutiny, DeJoy stepped into the interim CEO role with quiet clarity. His LinkedIn post announcing the transition struck a rare balance of realism and resolve. 'The spotlight has been unusual and surreal,' he acknowledged, while quickly redirecting focus to the company's mission, team culture, and customer trust. DeJoy's rise to the interim CEO role is not a conventional tech story. He didn't major in business or computer science, nor did he leap from a top-tier accelerator into a unicorn valuation. His journey has been slower, more embedded, and arguably more hands-on. His education in physics and chemistry shaped a mindset that values experimentation, persistence, and clarity, all qualities that now serve him in the CEO seat. In an ecosystem often obsessed with scale and speed, DeJoy's story reminds us that leadership can come from the lab bench as much as the boardroom. His Bowdoin education didn't just train him in scientific theory, it taught him how to think critically, navigate ambiguity, and stay anchored in complexity. As interim CEO, these are precisely the skills Astronomer seems to need most. As of mid-2025, Astronomer stands at a pivotal juncture. With Pete DeJoy now leading the company through a sensitive transition, attention has turned to how the platform will evolve in the growing world of enterprise AI. While it remains unclear whether he will stay on as permanent CEO, his appointment signals a vote of confidence in technical stewardship, founder commitment, and educational depth. DeJoy's story offers an encouraging message to students and early-career professionals: you don't need to take the obvious path to end up at the top. Sometimes, the scientist really does steer the ship. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
"I would never have...": Astronomer's new boss breaks silence on ex-CEO and HR officer's kiss cam scandal
Astronomer's interim CEO Pete DeJoy opens up on the Coldplay kiss cam scandal Astronomer 's interim CEO Pete DeJoy has issued his first public statement since taking over the tech startup following a viral Coldplay concert scandal that led to his predecessor's resignation. The controversy erupted when former CEO Andy Byron was caught on a kiss cam embracing the company's HR head Kristin Cabot at a Boston concert, sparking widespread speculation about an extramarital affair. "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," DeJoy wrote in a LinkedIn post Monday. "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." From kiss cam scandal to corporate crisis: How viral moment toppled tech CEO DeJoy, who co-founded the data operations company in 2017, was appointed interim CEO over the weekend after Byron's resignation Saturday. The scandal began when concert footage showed Byron and Cabot quickly ducking for cover after realizing they were displayed on the jumbotron, prompting Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to quip: "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Swelling and internal bleeding in the brain, help this baby Donate For Health Donate Now Undo "Over the weekend, I stepped into the role of Interim CEO at Astronomer, a company that I've proudly poured my entire professional life into helping build," DeJoy stated, emphasizing his commitment to stability during the transition. Billion-dollar startup vows to move past 'unusual and surreal' spotlight The Cincinnati-based startup, which achieved unicorn status in 2022 with a billion-dollar valuation, recently secured $93 million in funding led by Bain Ventures. DeJoy stressed the company's resilience, noting they've overcome previous challenges including bank collapses and pandemic-era scaling. "At Astronomer we have never shied away from challenges; a near-decade of building this business has tested us time and time again, and each time we've emerged stronger," he wrote. "I'm stepping into this role with a wholehearted commitment to taking care of our people and delivering for our customers." DeJoy concluded optimistically: "Our story is very much still being written." AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Time of India
22-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
New Astronomer CEO Pete DeJoy sees silver lining in Coldplay scandal, says the company is now a household name
Following the recent Coldplay Kiss Cam scandal, involving ex-Astronomer CEO Andy Bryon and his company's chief people officer, Kristin Cabot, last week, Bryon resigned from his position. After him, Pete DeJoy stepped in as the new CEO of the company, who recently described the newfound attention as 'unusual and surreal" and how the Coldplay scandal positively impacted the company. On Saturday, Andy Byron resigned after being caught in an embrace with his company's head of HR. During the incident, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin quipped that "Oh, they're having an affair or they're just very shy," as the pair ran away from where they were standing. The moment the clip dropped on the internet, it created a social media storm across the globe. New Astronomer CEO feels the Coldplay scandal came as a positive mark Apart from the online trolling and debates, the New Astronomer CEO, DeJoy, issued a statement on LinkedIn saying, "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." However, DeJoy also added a silver lining in that the furore had brought the New York company into the spotlight. "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,' DeJoy added. Know about the Coldplay cheating scandal On July 16, 2025, during a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, Massachusetts, a Kiss Cam segment caught Andy Byron, the CEO of Astronomer, intimately close to Kristin Cabot, the company's Chief People Officer. Both are reportedly married to others. The moment they realised that the camera was on them, Byron ducked behind the barrier and Cabot covered her face. The incident quickly went viral on social media.
NDTV
22-07-2025
- Business
- NDTV
"Unusual, Surreal": What Astronomer's New CEO Said After Coldplay Video Saga
Days after Astronomer CEO Andy Byron resigned following a viral video featuring the company's HR representative, Kristin Cabot, at a Coldplay concert, the Cincinnati-based tech firm's new interim boss, Pete DeJoy, said the incident thrust the company into the spotlight of an "unusual and surreal" kind. Andy Byron, already married and father to two children, and the company's Chief People's Officer, Kristin Cabot, were caught sharing an intimate moment during Coldplay's 'Jumbotron song' segment last week. In a detailed LinkedIn post shared after succeeding Andy Byron, Mr DeJoy said: "I would never have wished for it to happen like this, but Astronomer is now a household name." Mr DeJoy, also a co-founder of the company, said 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". He said that the company had never shied away from facing challenges and emerged stronger every time it was tested. "From starting a software company in Cincinnati, Ohio, to keeping the lights on through the collapse of the bank that held all our cash, to scaling from 30 to 300 people during a global pandemic that demanded we do it all without ever being in the same room," he said. Mr DeJoy assured the people inside and outside the company that he was assuming charge "with a wholehearted commitment" to delivering for our customers. "To our team: thank you for your resilience & commitment to building something great. And to our community and customers: thank you for your trust. We won't let you down," he said. On Saturday, Andy Byron resigned from the top job. The company announced his decision in a LinkedIn post, saying their "standards were not met recently". "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 the Board of Directors has accepted," Astronomer said. The two employees were enjoying the show when the camera was put them on giant screens, with band frontman, Chris Martin, saying they were "either too shy" or "having an affair". In another follow-up video, he was heard saying, "Oh s**t, I hope we didn't do something bad". The CEO's wife, Megan Kerrigan, hours after the video went viral, removed the surname "Byron" from her Facebook profile before deactivating it altogether.
