In a surprising turn of events, Kristin Cabot, the Chief People Officer at Astronomer, has officially resigned following a viral moment captured during a Coldplay concert. The incident involved her and the company's former CEO, Andy Byron, who were seen embracing on a large screen at the concert, after which they hurriedly ducked away from the camera.
The firm confirmed Cabot's departure in a statement to the BBC. This resignation closely follows the announcement of Byron's leave, which came about as the company conducted an investigation into unspecified matters. The identities of the individuals in the viral clip have not been independently verified by the BBC, though multiple US media outlets reported their names.
As the footage went viral, accumulating millions of views across social media, Coldplay's frontman Chris Martin humorously remarked to the audience, "Either they're having an affair, or they're just very shy," adding to the spectacle of the moment. The public's curiosity led to a flurry of memes and media commentary surrounding the incident.
In light of the swift attention, Astronomer released a statement regarding the situation, stating that the heightened media focus was unprecedented for a company of its size. Following Byron's resignation, co-founder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy has stepped in as interim CEO.
"The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies - let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world - ever encounter," DeJoy noted, emphasizing that the company had inadvertently gained significant recognition. He assured stakeholders that Astronomer remains committed to progress and innovation despite the challenges presented.
