Astronomer HR Chief Exec Kristin Cabot Resigns After Viral Coldplay Concert
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Kristin Cabot, Chief People Officer at U.S. tech firm Astronomer, has officially resigned after a viral video showed her embracing then-CEO Andy Byron at a Coldplay concert. The clip, which captured the two sharing an intimate moment before ducking from the camera, was shown on the arena’s big screen and swiftly made the rounds online — amassing millions of views and spawning countless memes.
The lighthearted moment became a serious HR matter when speculation mounted over their relationship, prompting Astronomer to place Byron on leave and launch an internal investigation. He later resigned, and the company has since appointed co-founder Pete DeJoy as interim CEO.
While the company never directly addressed the video, DeJoy acknowledged the unexpected attention, noting that Astronomer had become a "household name overnight" and would remain focused on building its data and AI platform. The viral embrace may have started as an internet joke, but it’s now reshaped the leadership of one of tech’s rising startups.