• Source:JND
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Astronomer CEO Andy Byron has been at the centre of a huge online controversy after a viral clip from Coldplay's recent show in Boston seemed to capture him having an intimate moment with the company's Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. The altercation happened during British band Coldplay's concert at Gillette Stadium, when Coldplay's lead singer Chris Martin surprisingly directed the venue's 'Kiss Cam' at Byron and Cabot. In the popularly shared video, Byron is spotted with his arm across Cabot's shoulders before suddenly withdrawing and trying to hide, as Martin said, "Either they're having an affair or they're very shy."

The on-screen moment has sparked serious rumors that the two veteran executives are involved in an alleged office romance. Social media commentators were quick to point out that Byron and Cabot are said to be married to other individuals. In the wake of the incident, Byron's wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, an educator and Associate Director at Massachusetts' Bancroft School, has been flooded with sympathy messages on social media. A number of users observed that Megan has removed "Byron" from her last name on social media, sparking speculation that the marriage may be in turmoil.

Who Is Andy Byron?

Andy Byron became the CEO of Astronomer in July 2023. He was earlier the President at Lacework and was in senior positions at Cybereason, Fuze, Vericenter, and BMC Software. He currently resides in Northborough, Massachusetts, with his wife Megan and two children. Kristin Cabot became a part of Astronomer in 2024 as Chief People Officer. Based on her LinkedIn, she has served in senior HR leadership positions at Proofpoint, ObserveIT, and Neo4j, and specializes in her work in establishing trust and inclusive cultures in tech companies.

As of Friday morning, neither Andy Byron nor Kristin Cabot has made any public statement regarding the viral video or allegations circulating on social media. The firm, Astronomer, which became a unicorn in 2022 with an above-USD 1-billion valuation, has also issued no official statement. Netizens point out that the incident casts doubt on workplace ethics and professional boundaries, especially in light of Cabot's position as Chief People Officer, a job that is normally responsible for company culture and HR compliance.

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In contrast, another person named Andy Byron, an executive with Stylo Motion Design, has made public a statement that he is not the CEO who has been involved in Coldplay's controversy. The producer of the video changed his LinkedIn bio to say, "NOT THE GUY FROM THE COLDPLAY GIG!!" to inject some humour in an otherwise embarrassing moment.

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The Coldplay video clip has attracted millions of hits within hours of appearing online. Although some netizens have shown their reactions in the form of jokes, others have strongly condemned the supposed transgression. "Sorry to the wife, but happy they're getting exposed," one viewer commented, mimicking a popular sentiment. Meanwhile, Coldplay's Chris Martin, who unwittingly started the controversy, remained oblivious as he continued playing his set without knowing that his flippant comment had initiated a viral scandal.