Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot Face Backlash After Viral Concert Clip
By Inday Marisol | July 18, 2025
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A tech CEO is at the center of a growing internet controversy after a concert jumbotron video showed him embracing a colleague, prompting public scrutiny, online backlash, and allegations of an affair.
Andy Byron, CEO of data operations company Astronomer, and his company’s Chief People Officer, Kristin Cabot, are under fire after a viral TikTok video appeared to show them cuddling at a Coldplay concert at Gillette Stadium in Boston. The video, originally posted on Thursday, has since garnered more than 20 million views.
“Oh, look at these two…”
In the clip, Byron is seen holding Cabot from behind as the pair smiles while appearing on the stadium’s massive screen during the show. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, noticing the pair, jokingly commented to the crowd, “Oh look at these two,” before adding, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy,” as the band continued to play.
Cabot, after realizing they were on camera, quickly covered her face while Byron ducked to avoid being seen, intensifying speculation online.
Identified—And Criticized
Internet sleuths quickly identified the two as Andy Byron, a father of two who is married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, and Kristin Cabot (who also goes by Kristin Thornby), the company’s top HR executive.
Public records confirm that Byron resides near Gillette Stadium with his family. Following the video’s virality, users flooded Kerrigan’s Facebook account with comments, prompting her to remove her husband’s last name from her profile before deleting the account entirely.
Kerrigan did not respond to a request for comment. It remains unclear if she attended the concert.
LinkedIn Backlash And Lyric-Laced Jabs
As the video circulated, dozens of users turned to LinkedIn, where both Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot previously had active profiles. Byron’s page, which has since been deleted, became the subject of intense criticism, unusual for the professional networking platform.
“Lights did not guide Andy home,” one commenter wrote, referencing Coldplay’s Fix You.
Another bluntly asked, “Who is the lady on the jumbotron, Andy?”
Leadership In Question
Andy Byron became CEO of Astronomer in 2023, after graduating from Providence College and building a career in the tech sector. Under his leadership, the company moved its headquarters to New York City and recently raised $93 million in Series D funding, with backing from Bain Capital Ventures and Salesforce Ventures.
Cabot, who joined Astronomer in November 2024, had previously held senior HR roles at ObserveIT, Neo4j, and Proofpoint. Her current marital status is unclear, though public records indicate she has been married in the past.
In a now-removed LinkedIn announcement, Andy Byron welcomed Cabot by highlighting her “exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management.”
The Astronomer Goes Quiet
As public attention intensified, Astronomer has turned off comments on its social media platforms and has yet to issue a public statement regarding the viral clip or its executives.
Industry observers have raised concerns around leadership ethics, potential conflicts of interest, and workplace power dynamics, particularly given Cabot’s senior HR position.
“This isn’t just personal—it touches the core of professional conduct and organizational trust,” one HR consultant told Fortune anonymously.
What’s Next?
While no formal disciplinary action or internal investigation has been announced, the incident has cast a shadow over the Astronomer’s leadership and company culture. It also serves as a high-profile reminder that in the age of smartphones and social media, even a concert moment can turn into a corporate crisis.
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Maria Sollen Castor, known as “Inday Marisol,” is a skilled and experienced content writer. Renowned for her engaging and authentic style, she crafts compelling content that connects with readers and resonates across platforms.