Astronomer CEO Andy Byron Resigns After Coldplay Kiss Cam Scandal

Andy Byron, the Astronomer CEO caught in a compromising position on a kiss cam during a Coldplay concert last week, has resigned.

Us Weekly reports that Byron's handsy moments with his employee, Kristin Cabot, was apparently too much for his company to bear.

In a statement from a spokesperson, the company confirmed, "Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met. Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.”

Referencing the viral video of Byron and Cabot hiding after realizing they were on the big screen at the Coldplay gig, the statement went on, "Before this week, we were known as a pioneer in the DataOps space, helping data teams power everything from modern analytics to production AI. While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not. We’re continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data & AI problems.”

Byron's resignation follows confirmation by Us Weekly that he had been placed on leave, and had been replaced by DeJoy.

The video, taken at Coldplay's Gillette Stadium in Foxoborough, Massachusetts, on July 16, was shot by a fan. Their reaction caused lead singer Chris Martin to quip, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”

Grace Springer, who shot the awkward moment, told The U.S. Sun, "I had no idea who the couple was. Just thought I caught an interesting reaction to the kiss cam and decided to post it.”

She added, "A part of me feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down, but, play stupid games… win stupid prizes.”

Springer insisted, "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.”

Grace added, "I hope, for them, my video was a blessing in disguise."