 "The clip went viral online, and internet users soon identified Byron and Cabot. Image: X")
Andy Byron, the married CEO of New York-based software company Astronomer, found himself at the centre of controversy this week after he was seen in an intimate moment with Kristin Cabot, the firm’s chief people officer, at a Coldplay concert.
What appeared to be a private exchange has now led to serious fallout for both, affecting them personally and professionally.
ALSO READ | Who is Andy Byron, Astronomer CEO embroiled in ‘cheating’ scandal at Coldplay concert?
After the incident came to light, the company said it is looking into the matter.
Meanwhile, Astronomer’s cofounder and Chief Product Officer, Pete DeJoy, has stepped in as interim CEO, while Byron has been placed on leave.
So, what happened since the ‘Coldplaygate’ moment?
Let’s take a look at them:
Andy Byron put on leave as firm launches investigation
Andy Byron and the company’s Chief Human Resources Officer, Kristin Cabot, were seen trying to cover their faces after a jumbotron at Gillette Stadium near Boston showed them in an intimate moment during a Coldplay concert on Wednesday night.
On Friday, Astronomer issued a statement saying it had launched an inquiry into the matter, indicating that the relationship appeared to be unknown to the board.
“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,” the tech and data company said in a statement.
“The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.”
The company also addressed several incorrect claims spreading online after the video surfaced, including the wrong identification of a third person in the clip and a fake X account that posted a false statement in the CEO’s name.
In a separate statement, the firm said that cofounder and chief product officer Pete DeJoy has taken over as interim CEO while Andy Byron has been placed on leave.
“We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days,” the statement read.
Astronomer is a data software company valued at over $1.3 billion. It focuses on data orchestration tools and serves a wide range of clients, including banks and media firms. The company holds a strong reputation in the tech world.
Sources told Axios that chief people officer Kristin Cabot was also placed on leave after the viral video exposed the alleged relationship.
Notably, Coldplay was performing “The Jumbotron Song” when the screen showed a man and woman cuddling while watching the concert.
As soon as they realised they were on camera, the pair pulled away and tried to shield their faces, with the man crouching down.
The clip went viral online, and internet users soon identified Byron and Cabot.
Just a few seconds of footage was enough to push Byron and Cabot into the centre of online chatter, with many calling it “Coldplaygate.”
‘Toxic’ boss and bullying allegations: Andy Byron faces more heat
The recent incident has sparked conversations among Andy Byron’s former coworkers, with many saying he is finally facing consequences.
“The text groups and chains of former employees are like… everybody’s laughing their a** off and enjoying the hell out of what happened and him getting exposed,” a source told The New York Post.
The source also described Byron as a pushy, sales-focused leader who was often seen as “toxic” in the workplace.
In a separate claim, a former acquaintance accused Byron of being a bully during his teenage years, calling him a “complete sociopath” who “still hasn’t learned his lesson.”
The post, shared on X (formerly Twitter), was made by a man named Jonathan Bowen, who said he knew Byron while growing up in Hanover, Massachusetts.
“You’re not going to believe this shit. When I was a teenager… I got into a couple of fights with a kid a bit younger than me but slightly bigger, named Andy Byron… I beat him up once or twice, but later, he and another buddy… jumped me, and I lost that fight,” Bowen wrote.
He added, “Turns out, he’s the same guy who was caught cheating on his wife at the Coldplay concert! The guy clearly hasn’t learned his lesson. When I knew him, I thought he’d be a competitor… but I also knew he’d be a complete sociopath, and it turns out I was right.”
Did Byron’s wife, Megan Kerrigan, drop his surname from Facebook?
Some attention has now turned to Andy Byron’s wife, Megan Kerrigan, who appeared to remove his surname from her Facebook profile after the ‘Coldplaygate’ incident.
Byron is married to Megan Kerrigan, and the two live in New York.
According to reports, Megan works at the Bancroft School as an educator. She serves as Associate Director of Lower School and Admissions for The Hope Graham Programme, which supports students with language-based learning needs.
Megan has mostly kept her personal life and children away from the public eye. But the recent controversy involving her husband has led to a flood of messages on her Facebook page.
It also seems Megan dropped the name ‘Byron’ from her profile, which sparked discussions online about possible issues in their marriage after the video from the Coldplay concert went viral.
After the kiss cam controversy, many users began leaving supportive comments on her posts, especially those that showed her family or children.
On Thursday, she took down her Facebook profile, though screenshots suggest she had removed ‘Byron’ from her name earlier that same day. She also took down her Instagram account.
Her decision to delete her Facebook page has led to speculation about a possible divorce. So far, Megan has not made any public statement.