A video clip from a Coldplay concert in Boston has ignited a corporate and social media storm. It featured Andy Byron, CEO of AI data company Astronomer, and Kristin Cabot, the company’s Chief People Officer, appearing to cuddle on the venue’s kiss cam. Their reaction—hastily pulling away and attempting to hide their faces—sparked immediate speculation of an affair.
Coldplay frontman Chris Martin added fuel to the fire with his on-stage comment: “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just really shy.” The moment was captured on video, which rapidly went viral across social media platforms.
Fallout from the clip was swift. Byron disabled his LinkedIn profile, and his wife, Megan Kerrigan, removed his surname from her social media accounts. The incident escalated further when Byron was placed on leave and then officially resigned from his role as CEO, as confirmed by Astronomer in a public statement on X. The company cited a failure to meet leadership standards and emphasized its ongoing commitment to integrity and accountability.
Meanwhile, the internet began to dig deeper into Kristin Cabot’s background. According to her LinkedIn profile, Cabot boasts over 20 years of experience in human resources, with expertise in employee engagement, executive coaching, mergers, acquisitions, and organizational design. She joined Astronomer about seven months ago.
In a now widely shared older LinkedIn post announcing her role, Cabot had written: “I have been energized in my conversations with Andy Byron and the Astronomer leadership team…” A line that many now view as ironically loaded in hindsight.
Cabot’s personal life has also come under public scrutiny. She was previously married to Kenneth Thornby, with whom she shares a child. Their divorce, filed in 2018, was finalized in 2022.
Neither Cabot nor Byron has publicly commented on the incident, but the backlash online has been fierce. Many criticized the perceived unprofessionalism and breach of workplace boundaries, especially considering their leadership roles within the same company.
Astronomer, a New York-based firm specializing in data orchestration for AI and analytics, assured users and clients that its product and operations remain unaffected by the executive shake-up. However, the reputational damage may take longer to repair.
