- By Ajeet Kumar
- Tue, 22 Jul 2025 12:43 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
Coldplay Viral Kiss Controversy: A day after Andy Byron stepped down from his role as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of data technology firm Astronomer following a video of him holding the company's HR representative, Kristin Cabotat, at a Coldplay concert went viral, the new CEO has reacted to the incident but in an optimistic way.
Pete DeJoy, who succeeded Byron after the goof-up, wrote a lengthy LinkedIn post, saying the events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies— let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world—ever encounter. He underscored that the spotlight has been unusual and surreal for the team. However, DeJoy clarified he did not wish the company to gain "fame"; but added that the "Astronomer is now a household name".
ALSO READ: Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, Kristin Cabot Caught Kissing At Coldplay Concert | Watch New Video
"At Astronomer, we have never shied away from challenges; a near-decade of building this business has tested us time and time again, and each time we’ve emerged stronger. From starting a software company in Cincinnati, Ohio, to keeping the lights on through the collapse of the bank that held all our cash, to scaling from 30 to 300 people during a global pandemic that demanded we do it all without ever being in the same room," DeJoy, who is also a co-founder of Astronomer, wrote on LinkedIn.
"To our team: thank you for your resilience & commitment to building something great. And to our community and customers: thank you for your trust. We won’t let you down," he added.
Astronomer CEO, HR Chief’s viral kiss moment
The short video clip shows Byron and Cabot as captured on the jumbotron at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, during a Coldplay concert on Wednesday. Lead singer Chris Martin asked the cameras to scan the crowd for his “Jumbotron Song,” when he sings a few lines about the people the camera lands on.
“Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy,” he joked. Internet sleuths identified the man as the chief executive officer of a US-based company and the woman as its chief people officer. Amid a flurry of negative comments on social media, Byron stepped down from the post.
(With inputs from agency)