US tech company Astronomer's CEO resigns after being caught having an affair with CPO at Coldplay concert

Meanwhile, Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.

A 'kiss cam' moment at a Coldplay concert in Boston last Wednesday (16 July) has made headlines the past week having allegedly caught on camera an extramarital affair between CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot of the American data operations technology company Astronomer.

The video footage went viral on social media the following Thursday. It appears to show Byron and Cabot, cuddling while at the concert. Upon realising that they were showing up at the jumbotron, the duo were seen attempting to hide their faces.

Following the scandal, the New York City-based company said on Friday via a LinkedIn statement that its Board of Directors has “initiated a formal investigation into this matter", and will share additional details “very shortly”.

The company also clarified that Astronomer’s Senior Director of People, Alyssa Stoddard, who was previously misidentified in the footage, was not present on this occasion, and stated that "no other employees were in the video".

Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy has, meanwhile, been appointed as interim CEO as Byron was placed on leave, the company stated.

Soon on Saturday, Astronomer issued another LinkedIn statement, announcing that Byron had tendered his resignation, and that the Board of Directors had accepted this decision. The company did not mention Cabot, but according to various news reports, she has been placed on leave.

"Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding," the company stated.

"Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met."

It emphasised that while the public perception of the company may have changed overnight, its products and commitment to serving customers remain the same.

As checked by Human Resources Online, Byron’s profile has been removed from the company’s website, while CPO Cabot’s remains visible.

Photos: screenshots from Grace Springer via Storyful / profile images of Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot from Astronomer's website