Andy Byron, the CEO of data tech company Astronomer, has officially resigned from his position. This follows the widespread backlash after being identified in a viral video from a Coldplay concert. The incident, which played out on the venue’s “Kiss Cam,” prompted an internal investigation and public statements from the company.
Did Andy Bryon resign after Coldplay kiss cam drama?
Andy Bryon has resigned from his position as CEO of Astronomer, following widespread online attention after a video from a Coldplay concert went viral. On July 19, Astronomer released a formal statement on both X (formerly Twitter) and LinkedIn stating that Byron had submitted his resignation and that the board had accepted it.
“Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted,” the company wrote. They added, “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.”
In the same announcement, Astronomer stated that Co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy will serve as interim CEO. Meanwhile, the board will conduct a search for Byron’s successor. The company added, “While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not. We’re continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data and AI problems.”
The video was taken during the band’s July 16 performance at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. It showed a man and a woman abruptly pulling away from each other after appearing on the venue’s “Kiss Cam.” Coldplay’s Chris Martin addressed the moment with a remark from the stage. He said, “Uh oh! What? Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” The footage quickly gained traction online.
On July 18, as reported by The New York Times, Astronomer confirmed that the individuals seen in the video were Byron and the company’s Chief People Officer. Following that revelation, the company announced that Byron had been placed on leave and that an internal investigation was underway.
Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on ComingSoon.
