Andy Byron stepped down on Saturday from his role as CEO of Astronomer—a $1.3 billion AI startup he co-founded—just days after his secret affair was exposed after the married tech tycoon was spotted canoodling the company’s head of HR Kristin Cabot on a jumbotron during a Coldplay concert.
“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,” the company said in a statement on Saturday adding, “Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted.”
Kiss Ruins His Career
The company’s board had the option to fire Byron, which would have left him empty-handed, sources said, making his resignation likely the most financially prudent move. The incident that led to his exit involved a now-viral moment at a Coldplay concert near Boston on Wednesday night, where Byron, 50, and Cabot, 52, were caught on the kiss cam while appearing to cuddle.
The pair reacted awkwardly—Cabot quickly hid her face while Byron ducked out of sight—creating an instantly shareable “deer-in-the-headlights” moment.
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Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, thinking he had caught a tender moment, was left puzzled by their evasiveness, and joked, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy.”
By Thursday morning, internet sleuths had identified the duo as the CEO and head of HR at a major AI firm.
On Friday, as new footage surfaced showing Byron and Cabot kissing and embracing at the Coldplay concert, their rapid downfall intensified. Both were placed on leave as Astronomer announced an internal investigation into the incident.
According to Axios, Byron began discussing terms for a departure package shortly after being put on leave on Thursday.
Pete DeJoy, company co-founder and a Brooklyn resident, was appointed as interim CEO.
Byron, whose net worth is believed to be between $50 million and $70 million, earned an annual salary ranging from $469,000 to $690,000, along with generous bonuses tied to company performance.
Cabot’s future at the AI-focused data firm remain unclear.
Search for New Head
Astronomer will start looking for a permanent CEO, while DeJoy leads the company. In a playful nod of the controversy, DeJoy reportedly “liked” a LinkedIn post on Friday by Zachary Hensley — who served as Astronomer’s VP of Technology and Operations from 2019 to 2024 — in which Hensley confessed, “Yes, I’ve laughed at the memes.”
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“Before this week, we were known as a pioneer in the DataOps space, helping data teams power everything from modern analytics to production AI,” their Saturday statement said.
“While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not.”
In the months prior to the scandal, Astronomer was thriving, having reportedly secured close to $100 million in funding from major investors and undergoing rapid expansion.
Meanwhile, Byron’s wife, Megan Kerrigan, 50, dropped his last name from her Facebook profile and later deleted her account entirely, after being flooded with messages regarding the rumored affair.
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Cabot is also thought to be married to 60-year-old Andrew Cabot, the owner of Privateer Rum.
In a recent photo, the pair were spotted posing with two children, and Kristin Cabot appeared to be wearing a wedding ring.
When approached on Saturday, a man at the Massachusetts home of Kerrigan’s mother refused to speak.
