People React to Astronomer's CEO Andy Byron's Newly Disclosed Decision — Details

The company previously released a statement revealing that its leader and Chief People Officer were put on leave amid internal investigations, as the pair had been publicly caught in what is understood to be a cheating scandal.

Astronomer has published a new statement on platform X and LinkedIn following the Kiss Cam debacle involving the tech firm's Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot and CEO Andy Byron.

The message begins by reiterating a part of the previous statement, emphasizing that Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided the software company since its founding.

"Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met," the statement read.

It continued, "Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO."

The announcement gave no further information regarding Cabot's current position within the organization. As it circulated widely on social media, netizens shared their opinions on Byron's resignation.

"Maybe unpopular opinion, but this statement is too serious, it's funny. If the company policy forbids romantic relationships between employees, then fine (especially since she was head of HR), but for not obtaining certain standards, please…" one Redditor noted.

They continued, "They probably knew anyway, they are just doing this because the cheaters are meme material now." The conversation continued on X, with many expressing the same sentiment.

"Ok I'm sorry but that's so unecessary like ik cheating is def bad but… losing your job? What? [sic]," an X user wrote. "Wait , was he cancelled for cheating?? That is insane," another concurred.

"Well that's a little extreme," someone else added. Astronomer officially broke its silence regarding the matter earlier in the week. The company released a statement following reports of a public apology issued by the former CEO — who was previously put on leave amid internal investigations — which were promptly debunked.

Astronomer set the record straight regarding the controversy brought on by the company's former CEO, Andy Byron, and Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot. Byron and Cabot sparked a media frenzy earlier this week when they were caught on the jumbotron at a recent Coldplay concert, exposing what appeared to be an affair.

Byron stood behind Cabot with his arms around her as she leaned on his chest. When they realized they were on the Kiss Cam, Cabot quickly turned around and hid her face, while Byron ducked away from camera view.

This prompted Coldplay frontman Chris Martin to joke that they were "either having an affair or just very shy." The moment went viral on social media, sparking rampant speculation surrounding Byron, Cabot, and Astronomer.

In light of the controversy, the tech firm released a statement via Fox News. "Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy is currently serving as interim CEO given Andy Byron has been placed on leave. We will share more details as appropriate in the coming days," it read.

The company also shared an additional statement on X:

"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. The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly."

Netizens who have been following the story have since shared their reactions. "This all story is a MESS," one person said. "This is so messy oh my god… they should have just played it cool," another noted.

"So messy now," a third netizen echoed the sentiment. "Wow this is crazy," another added. Some suggested Astronomer might dismiss Byron and Cabot, while others expect the pair will resign.

In the viral video, a woman who appeared visibly embarrased stood beside them as they ducked away, and fans speculated that she might be another Astronomer employee: Alyssa Stoddard. However, the company cleared Stoddard's name in the above-mentioned statement.

"Alyssa Stoddard was not at the event and no other employees were in the video. Andy Byron has not put out any statement, reports saying otherwise are all incorrect," the company clarified.

Hours after the concert incident, an X account named Peter Enis — a faux CBS News reporter with about 50 followers — posted an alleged apology from Byron that turned out to be fake.

"I want to acknowledge the moment that's been circulating online, and the disappointment it's caused," the fabricated apology began. "What was supposed to be a night of music and joy turned into a deeply personal mistake playing out on a very public stage."

The imposter posing as Byron "sincerely" apologized to his wife, family, and team at Astronomer and said they deserved better from him as a partner, father, and leader. "This is not who I want to be or how I want to represent the company I helped build," the message continued.

It added that Byron is taking "time to reflect, to take accountability, and to figure out the next steps, personally and professionally," and was asking privacy as he navigated that process. The message then ended with a quote from Coldplay's 2005 song "Fix You."

"As a friend once sang: 'Lights will guide you home, and ignite your bones, and I will try to fix you,'" it read. The original account that shared the hoax apology has now been suspended.