The CEO of AI company Astronomer, Andy Byron, has stepped down. This decision came just days after a video of him alongside the company's HR Chief, Kristin Cabot, at a Coldplay concert near Boston went viral.
The video showed them embracing and trying to avoid the camera, sparking rumors of an affair on social media. Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin commented from the stage, 'Either these two are dating, or they're extremely shy,' which only fueled the viral spread of the incident online.
What did the company say?
On Saturday, Astronomer confirmed Byron's resignation, asserting, 'We expect our leaders to behave appropriately and fulfill their responsibilities. Recently, this standard was unmet. Andy Byron has resigned, and the Board of Directors accepted his resignation.'
The company initiated an internal investigation
Earlier this week, the company had placed Byron on leave and appointed an interim CEO. They clarified that the woman seen in the viral video was not Alyssa Stoddard, the company's Vice President of Human Resources, but rather Kristin Cabot, Chief People Officer. The company emphasized its commitment to its values and has commenced an internal investigation into the incident.
This entire episode unraveled during a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The 'kiss cam' captured Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot on the big screen, prompting them to immediately duck out of view, a video that soon set social media ablaze and led to widespread public chatter.
