Kristin Cabot is still listed as Chief People Officer on Astronomer’s leadership page, and that single detail has become a flash point for angry current and former tech workers watching the company navigate a public relations mess. (Also read:Astronomer CEO Pete DeJoy Breaks Silence After Andy Byron Resignation)
Cabot and then-CEO Andy Byron were filmed in an embrace on a stadium kiss cam during a Coldplay show near Boston. The clip raced across social media, and within days Byron resigned. Cabot was placed on leave. She has not spoken publicly.
People online are asking why the CEO stepped aside while the top HR executive is, at least formally, still in place. Some say that because she is the senior people leader, the standard should be even higher. Others caution that internal reviews take time and that snapping decisions to satisfy public outrage can create legal problems later. Both ideas are floating around at once, and that tension is now part of the story.
What Happened At The Concert
In the video, Byron is seen hugging Cabot as the venue camera lands on them. Once they notice the big screen, they shift and seem to turn away. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, narrating to the crowd, joked that the couple was either in a relationship or just very shy. The joke landed. Then it spread. Viewers soon identified the pair as two senior leaders at Astronomer, a data and AI company that recently drew investor attention and press coverage for its growth prospects.
Reports that both are married added fuel. Within hours the clip had been edited, meme-ified and reposted into every corner of the internet that follows tech startup drama.
Astronomer’s Response So Far
Astronomer first said both executives were placed on leave while the board opened a formal review. In a follow-up statement the company said Byron had tendered his resignation and that it had been accepted. Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is serving as interim CEO while a broader search begins. The company repeated a core line: leaders are expected to set the standard in conduct and accountability.
No update has been given on Cabot’s employment beyond her leave status. She still appears on the company’s website, which has amplified calls for action. Her LinkedIn profile is no longer publicly visible.
Also Read | Kristin Cabot Still Employed at Astronomer After Coldplay Kiss Cam Scandal
Online Backlash Targets Cabot
Comments circulating on X, LinkedIn and Reddit reflect rising irritation. One commenter asked why all the focus is on Byron: “She also cheated.” Another wrote that a people chief should serve as a model for employees and should resign. Others argue it “took two to tango.” The volume of posts is not a scientific sample, but the tone shows how quickly personal conduct can morph into a reputational test for a company selling trust, data access and talent services.
If you lead HR, you already handle sensitive complaints, power dynamics and culture risk. What happens when you become the subject of the complaint loop? Employees watch closely. Some quietly wait for process. Some vent. Both reactions are common during internal investigations.
Why Companies Move Slowly In Cases Like This
Employment lawyers who have weighed in publicly on similar situations say boards need documented facts before firing a senior leader. Written policies matter. So do signed codes of conduct, conflict disclosures and any evidence the relationship affected workplace decisions. Quick terminations without cause findings can invite legal claims or severance disputes. At the same time, boards must weigh culture credibility. Delay can look like avoidance. Move too fast and you pay later. That balance is tricky, and you rarely see all of it from the outside.
You may wonder: does a public video count as cause? Lawyers say context rules. Was the outing work-sponsored? Were any reporting lines breached? Did HR approve? Were complaints lodged earlier? Until a review answers those, a company often keeps the person on leave, even while pressure builds.
ALSO READ: Coldplay Concert Scandal: CEO Andy Byron Resigns, Families Caught in Fallout
Interim CEO Urges Focus On Mission
Interim CEO Pete DeJoy told employees and customers in a LinkedIn post that the media glare has been “unusual and surreal” for a startup of Astronomer’s size. He said the firm will keep working on hard data and AI problems for clients and that the mission is larger than one moment. He did not name Byron or Cabot in that note but acknowledged the obvious: people everywhere now know the Astronomer name for reasons unrelated to software.
What To Watch Next
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Board investigation outcome. Will Cabot return, resign, or negotiate an exit package.
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Policy disclosures. Investors and large enterprise customers often ask whether executive conduct violated internal codes. Any future S-1 or fundraising deck may need to address governance.
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Website and filings. Leadership pages and state corporate filings sometimes change before press releases do. If you track those, you get early signals.
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Employee retention. HR credibility hits morale fast. If attrition ticks up, it will matter more than the memes.
Scandals fade. Culture reputations linger. If you run a company, who is allowed to date whom, when, and how that is disclosed might feel like paperwork until the camera pans to you in front of a live crowd. Then policy becomes headline material.
Astronomer says more details are coming. Until then, Kristin Cabot remains on leave, her name still on the leadership page, and the debate continues.
