Andy Byron, CEO of the New York-based software firm Astronomer, has resigned after a video of him sharing an intimate moment with a woman who was not his wife at a Coldplay concert went viral on social media. The video shows Byron kissing the company’s head of HR at the concert. Following the incident, the company issued an official statement on social media condemning his actions.
“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” read the official statement. The alleged workplace romance triggered a personal and professional upheaval, which led to such a move.
“Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO,” Astronomer announced.
Who is Pete DeJoy?
According to his LinkedIn profile, the Astronomer executive is based in Brooklyn, New York. He has been associated with the company for eight years, stepping into the role of Chief Product Officer full-time in February 2025. However, following the Bryon controversy, he steps in as the interim Astronomer CEO. Before this, he oversaw the global product portfolio as Senior Vice President of Products for two years since May 2023.
As stated previously, 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, and recently, that standard was not met.
Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and… pic.twitter.com/aTTUhnnyVz
— Astronomer (@astronomerio) July 19, 2025
How did Bryon get caught?
Bryon, Astronomer’s CEO was accompanied with people officer Kristin Cabot at the Coldplay concert. With a feature that plays up fans enjoying the show on the jumbo screen, caught Bryon and Cabot hugging in the stands. As soon as they spotted themselves, Bryon ducked out of sight and Kristin turned around to avoid the cameras. Implying guilt and shame, it became a viral sensation overnight. With meme wars and marketing campaigns, the Astronomer CEO kiss cam scandal took the internet by surprise.
Following this, there were speculations that the former CEO tried to blame Coldplay for the scandal. These statements, however, were proven to be false. While this week turned into a whirlwind for Astronomer, former employees stepped forward to share their relief and satisfaction over seeing their reportedly “toxic” boss finally exposed.