Amid the controversy over the viral video from a Coldplay concert that appeared to show Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and HR head Kristin Cabot sharing a moment on the kiss cam, company co-founder Ry Walker has addressed the incident. The unexpected development has drawn public attention and led to an internal investigation by the company.

What did Ry Walker say on the viral video?

Ry Walker, who co-founded Astronomer and served as its CEO from 2015 to 2019, issued a public statement on X (formerly Twitter) following the release of the video. While acknowledging that he was surprised by the footage, he described Andy Byron as a professional leader based on feedback from team members.

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“I’ve found Andy to be professional. Everyone on the team has praised his leadership to me. So I think this is an unfortunate development that comes as a big surprise,” Walker wrote.

In the same thread, Walker clarified that he has had minimal interaction with Byron, noting only one phone call between them. He emphasized that he is no longer associated with Astronomer, having stepped down from the board in 2022. Currently, Walker leads another venture, Tembo.

“I’ve had one call with Andy and haven’t worked with him directly,” he noted, distancing himself from Astronomer’s current operations.

Andy Byron took over as CEO of Astronomer in 2023, while Kristin Cabot joined the company’s HR team the following year. The two were seen together in a now-viral video from a Coldplay concert, sparking public speculation and internal concern.

In a November 2024 press release, Byron had commended Cabot’s leadership within the company. Cabot, in turn, expressed enthusiasm about the direction Astronomer was headed under Byron’s leadership.

Coldplay concert

Although he had no direct knowledge of the situation, Walker took a moment to joke about the concert setting itself. “I have 704 liked songs on Spotify; none are Coldplay. But I do think Chris Martin is an amazing vocalist,” he wrote. When asked by a user if he would attend a Coldplay concert, Walker replied he “definitely” would.

Astronomer official statement

In response to growing attention, Astronomer released a formal statement two days after the video surfaced. The company confirmed that the woman seen with Byron was not VP of Human Resources Alyssa Stoddard, contrary to some social media claims. “Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video,” the statement said.

The company’s Board of Directors has launched a formal internal investigation. “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 statement read.

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Despite online speculation, Astronomer clarified that CEO Andy Byron has not made any public comment about the incident.