The CEO of a tech company, who was filmed on a kiss-cam sharing a moment with the HR leader of his AI firm, has been temporarily removed from his position due to the backlash from the incident.
Andy Byron from the tech firm Astronomer and his Head of People, Kristin Cabot, were recorded on camera during a Coldplay concert in Boston on Tuesday evening.
Following the video’s rapid circulation online, the company announced on Friday night that Byron has been put on leave while they look into the matter.
A statement said: ‘Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave. We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days.’
In the viral moment, the two were seen enjoying the show when the camera operator working the jumbotron panned to them.
Byron had his arms wrapped around Cabot and the pair swayed in unison as the British band played.
The intimate moment descended into chaos as panic set in, Byron seemingly fell to his knees while Cabot put her head in her hands as the crowd laughed.
Prior to the announcement that Byron was on leave, the company had announced that a formal investigation into the clip was underway.
Andy Byron, of the tech company Astronomer, has been placed on leave after a clip of him and the Head of HR at the firm went viral
The two were seen enjoying the show when the camera operator working the jumbotron panned to them
The company said: ‘Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability.
‘The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.’
The Daily Mail exclusively revealed that Cabot, despite being caught in the clip, is married to another CEO.
Massachusetts property documents dated in January confirmed that Cabot is currently married to Andrew Cabot, the chief executive of Privateer Rum, a Massachusetts-based booze maker.
It is unclear exactly when the pair tied the knot, but the documents confirm that Kristin, whose maiden name is Stanek, was married at the time of selling a $1.8m property in Watertown, Mass, earlier this year.
Byron is also married, with his wife Megan Byron, removing his last name from her social media accounts shortly after the exchange with Chris Martin went viral.
It remains unclear how much – if anything – Astronomer knew of their closeness.
Byron’s firm is valued at over $1 billion, with the company experiencing rapid growth since he became CEO in 2023.
The couple were seen covering their faces, with Byron, the head of the AI startup Astronomer, diving out of view and Cabot turning away from the camera
Cabot is currently married to Andrew Cabot, the chief executive of Privateer Rum, a Massachusetts-based booze maker. Pictured: Kristin Cabot pictured with her husband, Andrew, and his two kids
Just a week before his viral fame, Byron appeared on New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) TV to celebrate the company after it raised $93 million in its Series D round of financing.
A beaming Byron described the investment as ‘a huge opportunity’ and ‘very exciting’ for the firm.
When Cabot joined the firm as HR boss in November 2024, Byron heaped praise on her, saying she would be a ‘perfect fit’ at his company.
‘Kristin’s exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory,’ he said in a press release at the time.
‘She is a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies and her passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer.’
The fan who captured the moment has since been identified as New Jersey native Grace Springer, she told the US Sun she had no idea who the pair were.
She said the moment became the talk of the show due to their ‘interesting reaction’, and admitted that ‘a part of me feels bad for turning these people’s lives upside down.’
But she added in a cheeky swipe: ‘Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.’
Springer said there was ‘a lot of talk’ about the kiss cam at the show, but ‘no one knew who they were’.
