Former employee calls Astronomer CEO Andy Byron ‘toxic’ amid viral Coldplay concert scandal
Andy Byron, CEO of the New York-based software firm Astronomer, is facing scrutiny after a viral video captured him in an intimate moment with HR chief Kristin Cabot during a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium. A former colleague has since accused Byron of being a “toxic” leader, adding that ex-employees were “laughing their ass off” at his public embarrassment.
Coldplay puts CEO of Astronomer and Head of HR on jumbotron looking cozy during their concert. pic.twitter.com/yuy2R5FAEc
The widely circulated footage shows Byron with his arms around Cabot’s waist during the concert’s “kiss cam” segment. Once they noticed the jumbotron, Cabot turned her back and covered her face while Byron ducked out of view. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin reacted in real time, quipping, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” followed by, “Holy sh-t. I hope we didn’t do something bad.”
A former employee who directly reported to Byron told The New York Post that the incident was met with amusement among ex-staffers. “The text groups and chains of former employees are like… everybody’s laughing their ass off and enjoying the hell out of what happened and him getting exposed,” the source said, describing Byron as an aggressive, sales-driven manager who often created a difficult work environment.
The incident has also cast a spotlight on Byron’s role at Astronomer, which he joined as CEO in July 2023. Just two months ago, the company secured a $93 million funding round backed by Bain Capital, Salesforce, and other investors.
Byron is reportedly married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, while Cabot finalized her divorce from Kenneth Thornby in 2022, according to Massachusetts court records. Neither Byron nor Astronomer has issued a public statement on the matter.
With questions mounting about leadership and company culture, the public fallout from the viral moment continues to escalate.