Kristin Cabot resigns from Astronomer, following CEO Andy Byron’s exit amid Coldplay Kiss Cam scandal

Dubai: Kristin Cabot, the Chief People Officer of US data and AI company Astronomer, has resigned from her role just days after a video featuring her and the company’s now-former CEO Andy Byron at a Coldplay concert went viral.

Her resignation, confirmed by the company in a statement to the BBC, comes shortly after Byron stepped down last week following intense public scrutiny and an internal investigation. The company had previously announced that Byron would be placed on leave pending a review of the incident.

The controversy began when a video clip from a Coldplay concert began circulating online. In the footage, a man and a woman — later identified by US media outlets as Byron and Cabot — were shown embracing and swaying to the music on the venue’s big screen. The pair quickly ducked out of view when they noticed the camera, prompting Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to quip: “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”

The video rapidly gained traction on social media, amassing millions of views and spawning countless memes, parodies, and online speculation. Although the BBC has not independently verified the identities of the individuals in the video, widespread reports have linked the clip to the two Astronomer executives.

As speculation mounted, the company released a statement confirming that its CEO would be placed on administrative leave, though it did not directly reference the concert video. The following day, Byron resigned. Now, Cabot has followed suit.

Astronomer, a Cincinnati-based startup focused on data, analytics, and artificial intelligence, has since appointed co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy as interim CEO.

In a message to employees and stakeholders, DeJoy acknowledged the unexpected wave of attention. “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 wrote. DeJoy added that the company remains committed to its mission and is focused on moving forward.

The resignations mark a dramatic turn for a relatively low-profile firm that now finds itself thrust into the public spotlight. While neither executive has publicly commented on the incident, the video’s virality — combined with widespread internet sleuthing and the emergence of fake statements — pushed the situation beyond corporate boundaries and into mainstream pop culture.

As of now, Astronomer has not indicated whether it will take further internal action. The company said its leadership remains focused on maintaining business continuity and supporting its team during the unexpected turbulence.