A viral Coldplay concert moment may have triggered the downfall of a tech firm’s leadership duo. During a kiss cam segment at Gillette Stadium, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and head of HR Kristin Cabot were caught on camera looking cozy, prompting singer Chris Martin to joke, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” What was meant to be lighthearted quickly turned serious as internet sleuths identified the pair — igniting accusations of an extramarital affair between two high-ranking colleagues.
Byron, who is married, and Cabot, recently divorced, have not commented publicly. However, their roles at Astronomer complicate matters, especially Cabot’s. As head of human resources, she would typically be responsible for enforcing workplace conduct policies, including those around romantic relationships. Legal experts say this dynamic creates major ethical and legal vulnerabilities for the company.
Employment attorney William Cafaro called the situation “horrible,” emphasizing how inappropriate it is for a head of HR to be involved romantically with the CEO. He stated that it’s one of the worst workplace relationship scenarios possible, especially considering both parties have personal lives and families entangled in the scandal.
The backlash was swift, with social media spreading the footage and commentary overnight. Cabot had previously emphasized her ability to earn trust in the workplace, making the optics of the situation even worse. Cafaro believes she’s almost certainly facing termination, arguing she can no longer objectively discipline others if she’s engaging in a prohibited relationship herself.
Meanwhile, the board of directors at Astronomer may have to consider Byron’s future. As CEO, any repercussions he faces would be in the hands of the board. Employment litigator Helen Rella added that workplace relationships, particularly involving supervisors and subordinates, could lead to legal claims of favoritism or retaliation, regardless of intent.
Complicating matters further is whether the concert was an official work event. If so, it could fall under Massachusetts’ after-hours workplace laws, exposing Astronomer to further scrutiny. As the company faces reputational damage and potential legal fallout, the seemingly harmless concert moment may have just rewritten the futures of its top executives.
