By Sachin Shankar Yadav 
The Incident: A Viral Moments at Coldplay
At Coldplay’s sold-out performance in Boston’s Gillette Stadium on July 16, 2025, what began as a lighthearted concert custom swiftly turned into a business scandal that few could have predicted. The stadium’s jumbotron focused on Andy Byron, CEO of Astronomer, a tech company worth over $1 billion, and his Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot, during the band’s well-liked “kiss cam” segment.
Byron and Cabot, who were seated close to one another and had their arms wrapped around one another, reacted visibly uncomfortably as the camera lingered: Cabot buried her face in her hands, while Byron attempted to hide behind a barrier. The 60,000 fans in the stadium laughed when Chris Martin, the frontman of Coldplay, joked, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy!”
Quick Dissemination on Social Media
Within hours, videos of the incident went viral. The pair was promptly identified by internet detectives, who pointed out that Byron is married and has two kids. Memes, immediate backlash, and contentious discussions about leadership and workplace ethics were all sparked by the spectacle.
The People Involved
Andy Byron
- Role: CEO of Astronomer since July 2023.
- Background: Served in executive roles at Fuze, Cybereason, and Lacework
- Personal Life: Married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, with two kids; following the scandal, their marriage attracted sympathy on social media, particularly after Megan allegedly removed “Byron” from her Facebook profile.
Kristin Cabot
- Role: Chief People Officer at Astronomer (joined November 2024)
- Background: Known for proficiency in talent management and corporate culture, previously worked for Neo4j, ObserveIT, and Proofpoint.
- Marital Status: Although no public information substantiates her current status, some reports claim she is (or was) married to Kenneth C. Thornby.
Other Prominent Individuals
- Astronomer’s Senior Director of People Alyssa Stoddard, whose startled on-camera reaction went viral as “the entire HR department’s response.”
Internet Culture and Public Reaction
- Memes and Criticism: Making reference to Cabot’s own work philosophy, users made fun of the idea of “building trust with employees.”
- Outrage and Sympathy: A lot of people came together to support Byron’s wife and voice their outrage at the public exposure.
- Workplace Issues: Because both executives have authority over company policies, their actions brought up issues of power abuse, workplace ethics, and the necessity of transparency in tech companies.
Business Repercussions and Unresolved Issues
- Astronomer, Andy Byron, and Kristin Cabot have not yet made a public statement about the incident or possible corporate action.
- The company’s internal culture and dedication to ethical conduct have been the subject of additional criticism and conjecture due to the lack of response.
Timeline of Events
| Date | Events |
| November 2024 | Kristin Cabot joins Astronomer as HR chief |
| July 16, 2025 | Kiss cam incident at Coldplay concert, Boston |
| July 17-18, 2025 | Incident goes viral; memes and backlash erupt |
| July 18, 2025 | No statement from Astronomer or involved parties |
Why This Scandal Matters
- Leadership Example: Cabot, the HR chief, and Byron, the CEO, both hold positions that influence corporate ethics; mistakes have a greater effect.
- Trust and Reputation: When viral content links senior leadership to unethical behavior, it has the potential to quickly undermine trust in organizations.
- Modern Flashpoint: The incident demonstrates how even a lighthearted public custom can quickly destroy personal lives and business reputations when combined with private impropriety.
Disclaimer: The information above is based on widely shared video footage and reliable media reports. Neither Astronomer nor the parties involved have commented publicly on the accusations of the affair or the repercussions for the company as of this writing.