ASTRONOMER CEO PLACED ON LEAVE AMID VIRAL CONCERT SCANDAL

Astronomer CEO Andy Byron has been placed on leave, and co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy has stepped in as interim CEO, the company announced on Saturday July 19, 2025. This move comes amid controversy surrounding a viral video showing Byron in an intimate moment with the company's HR chief, Kristin Cabot, during a Coldplay concert. The company's Board of Directors has launched a formal investigation into the alleged affair between Byron and Cabot and the additional details will be shared.

 The astronomer also addressed speculation online, stating that Byron has not released any public statement and that reports suggesting otherwise are inaccurate. The company further clarified that employee Alyssa Stoddard, who was mistakenly linked to the incident, was not present at the concert and does not appear in the video. The video, which was filmed at a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Boston, showed Byron embracing Cabot before they appeared to react nervously upon noticing they were featured on the venue’s "kiss cam”, sparking rumours of an affair.

The incident has fuelled speculation due to Byron’s marital status. His wife, Megan Kerrigan Byron, reportedly removed her married surname from her Facebook page after the footage gained traction. The couple, who have two children, live in Northborough. Ms. Kerrigan works as Associate Director of Lower School and Hope Graham Program Admissions at the Bancroft School.

 Mr. Byron became CEO of Astronomer in July 2023, following executive roles at Lacework, Cybereason, Fuze, BMC Software, BladeLogic, and VeriCenter. He hired Kristin Cabot as Astronomer’s Head of HR in November 2024, praising her at the time for her leadership and expertise in scaling talent and people strategies.