Latest news with #HRchief
Wall Street Journal
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Wall Street Journal
Coldplay, a Viral Kiss-Cam Moment—and a CEO's Abrupt Resignation
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron is far from the only executive to step down after questionable public behavior. But he may be the first because of a viral 'kiss-cam' moment at a Coldplay concert. Days after a video of Byron canoodling with the company's HR chief nearly broke the internet, the company said Byron had resigned from his position. 'Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,' Astronomer said Saturday.
The Sun
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Tech CEO Andy Byron and HR chief spotted ‘all over each other' moments before being caught on kiss cam at Coldplay gig
TECH boss Andy Byron and his HR chief were spotted "all over each other" moments before they were caught on a kiss cam at a Coldplay gig. Filmed from behind their seats, footage shows the pair silhouetted by stage lights as Coldplay performed 'Yellow' at Boston's Gillette Stadium. 8 8 8 8 In the new video, released by TMZ, the duo are seen hugging and swaying to the music while the crowd lights up the stadium with their phones. At one point, Byron leans in to kiss Cabot — suggesting the behaviour captured on the kiss cam wasn't a one-off. They appear relaxed and affectionate — a stark contrast to the panicked expressions seen when the kiss cam later caught them on the jumbotron. 'They were all over each other even when they weren't on the kiss-cam,' TMZ claimed. 'This rear-view shows a much more intimate interaction.' An earlier video captured the pair Chris Martin, Coldplay's frontman, commented live on stage: 'They're either having an affair… or they're very shy.' Seconds later, Byron dropped his arm and ducked behind a barrier while Cabot covered her face. As he caught view of himself, Byron appeared to say "f****** hell, it's me". Martin added, laughing nervously: 'Oh s***, I hope we didn't do something bad.' New video shows Chris Martin cringe at sight of embarrassed CEO caught cuddling HR boss during Coldplay concert A night later, Martin cracked a joke with another couple on the kiss cam after accidentally catching the tech boss allegedly cheating with his HR chief. The fan who captured the original kiss cam moment told The U.S. Sun she had no idea the couple were senior tech executives. She said: 'I just thought I caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it. A part of me feels bad… but, play stupid games, win stupid prizes.' Even longer footage has since dropped, showing the full reaction of panicked "mistress" Kristin Cabot. Further revelations have since emerged claiming Cabot is still married to another powerful CEO. Property records obtained by the Daily Mail from earlier this year list the couple as "husband and wife". Her wedding ring was not visible during the Coldplay concert. Byron is also married. His wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, has since removed his surname from her social media accounts before deleting them altogether. Neither Byron nor Cabot has responded to media requests for comment. Both executives have been placed on leave, Axios reports, with Byron said to be negotiating an exit package. Astronomer confirmed the suspensions and launched a formal investigation shortly after the incident. 8 8 The company said: "Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. 'The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.' The firm has also named co-founder Pete DeJoy as interim CEO. Byron had been CEO of Astronomer - valued at over $1.3billion - since July 2023. Cabot, who goes by Kristin Cabot Thornby on LinkedIn, joined as Chief People Officer nine months ago. When Cabot was appointed, Byron called her a 'proven leader' with 'exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management.' Cabot previously boasted on her LinkedIn profile that she "wins trust with employees of all levels, from CEOs to managers to assistants." The scandal has triggered widespread attention even among former employees. One ex-colleague told The New York Post that group chats were exploding as people were 'laughing their a** off' after seeing Byron caught on camera. The executive was described as a 'sales-obsessed' leader with a reportedly 'toxic' management style. Social media has also been flooded with memes and fake statements from Byron and Coldplay. A fake post attributed to Coldplay suggested they would introduce 'camera-free zones' for concertgoers with 'sidepieces.' 8
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Astronomer HR chief Kristin Cabot bragged she ‘wins trust of CEOs' before cuddling married boss at Coldplay show
Before being caught in the arms of married Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, the company's HR chief, Kristin Cabot, boasted that she 'wins trust' of CEOs. 'An influential leader and fearless change agent, I lead by example and win trust with employees of all levels, from CEOs to managers to assistants,' she wrote via her LinkedIn bio. The company's official 'Chief People Officer' also hyped herself as 'a passionate People leader known for building award-winning cultures from the ground up for fast-growing startups and multi-national corporations' and wrote that she prides herself in 'creating innovative systems and processes that attract top talent, while aligning an organization's people around its and values.' Cabot — who has been with Astronomer since November 2024 — was spotted packing on the PDA with her boss in the middle of a Coldplay concert in Boston Wednesday. As the duo realized they were being featured on the 'kiss cam,' they rushed to hide their mortified faces — with Byron even ducking down to avoid the camera's lens. 'Whoa, look at these two,' Martin, 48, said in now-viral footage, as Cabot covered her face and turned away. 'Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy.' Astronomer did not immediately respond to Page Six's requests for comment. As the video became the talking point at water coolers around the country, Byron's wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, fielded a deluge of comments about the alleged cheating reveal on her personal Facebook page — which Page Six later confirmed had been deleted after she dropped her married surname from the account. Meanwhile, a resurfaced report painted Andy as an allegedly fearsome employer. 'Multiple former employees said Mr. Byron would lash out against employees who disagreed with him, including threatening to fire them,' read an exposé about the tech company Cybereason, where Byron worked for two years starting in 2017. The allegation, which was published in business and tech outlet the Information, included a former employee's claim that 'you couldn't challenge him.' Another eyebrow-raising tidbit revealed that the CEO gushed over Cabot's capabilities in a press release from Astronomer upon her hiring. 'Kristin's exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory,' he wrote in the release. 'She is a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies and her passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer,' he added. As for Martin, 48 — who was simply playing a show in Boston when the drama unfolded — he seemingly addressed the matter while still onstage. 'I hope we didn't do something bad,' the 'Sky Full of Stars' singer said in a clip from the concert shared via X Thursday. Solve the daily Crossword
The Sun
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
New LONGER footage of agonising Coldplay kiss cam shows CEO's ‘mistress' Kristen Cabot's panic-stricken reaction in full
NEW footage of the agonising Coldplay kiss cam shows the full reaction of panicked "mistress" Kristen Cabot. The longer clip taken from within the audience near the jumbotron shows the HR chief being cuddled by her tech boss at the gig on Wednesday night. 9 9 9 Their reaction to being filmed has caught the world's attention - with millions now talking about the alleged affair. Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Cabot can be seen rushing to shield their faces as they flashed up on the jumbotron canoodling. The new angle shows that Cabot eventually fled from where she had been standing moments earlier and ran behind another woman. This clip holds on the jumbotron for longer and reveals that Cabot appears to speak to the women next to her. That second woman was left red-faced, with some speculating she was aware of the alleged affair next to her being exposed. Their reaction appeared to show guilt and has since gone viral online with speculation Cabot is the tech boss' "mistress". Byron dived to hide his face by looking at the floor and hid behind a barrier, while Cabot covered her face with her hands and turned her back to the crowd. Laughter erupted among the thousands packed into quipped: "Oh what... either they're having an affair or they're very shy." The new angle comes after The US Sun interviewed the TikToker who caught the original footage and posted it online. Grace Springer, 28, said she never meant to cause a scandal - but stands by sharing the footage. Coldplay fan who filmed CEO 'cheating' with HR chief at gig takes swipe at couple She said: "I had no idea who the couple was. Just thought I caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it. "A part of me feels bad for turning these people's lives upside down, but, play stupid games… win stupid prizes. "I hope their partners can heal from this and get a second chance at the happiness they deserve with their future still in front of them. "I hope, for them, my video was a blessing in disguise." 9 9 The pair had been gushing about each other online. According to Byron's LinkedIn, he has been CEO of software development company Astronomer - understood to be worth more than $1.3 billion (£1 billion) - since July 2023. Byron called Cabot a "proven leader" when she joined the company in November last year as the head of HR. Byron gushed: "Kristin's exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory." 9 9 Calbot released a similarly enthusiastic comment, saying she thought the "real magic happens when you align the people strategy with the business strategy." On her LinkedIn, she boasts: "I lead by example and win trust with employees of all levels, from CEOs to managers to assistants." One social media user commented: "Sorry for the wife but glad they're being exposed and embarrassed." Another wrote: "How utterly sad." A third said: "They are both incredibly stupid, sorry. Why would you go to a concert of all places if you are having an affair." Neither Byron or Cabot appear to have addressed affair allegations yet. The Sun has approached Astronomer for comment. 9
