Astronomer, the tech firm on the heart of a viral web controversy through which the married boss embraced his chief folks officer at a Coldplay live performance the place it was featured on a jumbotron, mentioned Saturday that CEO Andy Byron has resigned.
That got here after the corporate introduced launched a proper investigation and mentioned he had been positioned on depart.
“Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Administrators has accepted,” the corporate mentioned in a assertion. “The Board will start a seek for our subsequent Chief Govt as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to function interim CEO.”
Astronomer is a non-public knowledge infrastructure and operations firm that achieved unicorn standing in 2022 with a $1 billion or extra valuation.
The once-obscure firm lately moved its headquarters to New York Metropolis, and secured $93 million in sequence D funding in a spherical led by Bain Capital Ventures and Salesforce Ventures.
“Earlier than this week, we have been generally known as a pioneer within the DataOps house, serving to knowledge groups energy every thing from fashionable analytics to manufacturing AI,” Astronomer mentioned Saturday. “Whereas consciousness of our firm could have modified in a single day, our product and our work for our clients haven’t. We’re persevering with to do what we do greatest: serving to our clients with their hardest knowledge and AI issues.”
On Friday, the board mentioned it could dig into the conduct of Byron and chief folks officer Kristin Cabot and can reveal further particulars quickly, the corporate posted in an announcement on LinkedIn and X.
On the time, the board positioned Byron on depart, a spokesperson informed Fortune, with DeJoy serving as interim CEO within the meantime.
“Astronomer is dedicated to the values and tradition which have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are anticipated to set the usual in each conduct and accountability,” the corporate’s announcement learn. “The Board of Administrators has initiated a proper investigation into this matter and we may have further particulars to share very shortly.”
The response was posted to each platforms on Friday. It acquired greater than 700 reactions on LinkedIn virtually instantly. Astronomer clarified in its publish that an worker imagined to have additionally been on the Boston Coldplay live performance with Byron and Cabot was not on the occasion. The corporate equally refuted any alleged statements circulated on-line mentioned to have been made by Byron or Astronomer as incorrect.
Byron and Cabot’s live performance hug rose to web fame and sparked widespread affair allegations on Thursday after a clip, posted on TikTok, confirmed the CEO holding his subordinate in his arms on the Gillette Stadium present. Byron is seen within the video clutching Cabot from behind because the pair smiles and sways within the crowd. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin may be heard saying “Oh take a look at these two,” as they seem on the jumbotron, just for Cabot to rapidly cowl her face and switch away whereas Byron geese to keep away from the cameras.
Martin responded to their habits, “Both they’re having an affair or they’re very shy” as the gang cheered. The band performed on the Boston venue on Tuesday and Wednesday evening.
After the video went viral, it was revealed that Byron is legally married to Megan Kerrigan Byron. He and Kerrigan seem to have two sons. As for Cabot, public data counsel she has been married a minimum of as soon as. Her present marital standing, nonetheless, couldn’t be confirmed.
At many private and non-private firms, relationships between a CEO and one other worker are prohibited as a result of they are often seen as coercive by their very nature. They’ll additionally disrupt morale and result in allegations of unfair therapy.
Byron grew to become CEO of Astonomer in 2023, whereas Cabot, in keeping with her now-defunct LinkedIn, joined Astronomer in November 2024.
