Astronomer CEO Andy Byron is reportedly working out an exit deal after he and his alleged lover — the company’s head of HR — were placed on leave following a very public kiss cam moment at a Coldplay concert Wednesday night.
The tech firm announced Friday that it had launched an internal investigation, but sources told Axios that both Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were put on immediate leave after the viral clip revealed what appeared to be an office romance gone public.
The delay in Astronomer’s response, according to the outlet, stemmed from Byron dragging his feet on resigning while trying to negotiate a severance payout.
Astronomer confirmed it would investigate the rumored relationship between its CEO and HR chief after the moment lit up social media — leading to parody accounts, fake company statements, and a flurry of memes. Some former employees even joined in, describing Byron as a “toxic” leader.
At the company’s Manhattan office, workers were reportedly told to stay tight-lipped.
“Nope, we’re not allowed to talk about it,” one employee told The Post.
The drama unfolded Wednesday night at Gillette Stadium outside Boston, when the stadium’s kiss cam landed on Byron and Cabot. The two quickly tried to shield their faces as Coldplay frontman Chris Martin reacted on stage: “Oh, what?” he said, as the crowd screamed. “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
Neither Byron nor Cabot — both of whom have families — has publicly addressed the situation.
