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A former coworker of the Astronomer CEO, who found himself embroiled in an ‘affair’ scandal via a Coldplay concert’s kiss cam, shares his thoughts on his ex-colleague’s resignation amid the controversy.
Ry Walker, the former CEO of Astronomer, had only good things to say of 50-year-old Andy Byron,.
Byron set the internet ablaze after he was caught on camera at the concert cozying up to the company’s HR chief Kristin Cabot.
“I’ve found Andy to be professional; I’ve only spoken with him once on a call,” Walker shared on X. “Everyone on the team has spoken highly of his leadership to me. So, this is an unfortunate development and a big surprise.”
Byron and Cabot were caught red-faced as the kiss-cam at a Coldplay concert in Boston panned to Cabot wrapped in her boss’s arms on Tuesday.
The pair immediately ducked and turned from the cameras after realizing their faces were on the big screen.
Chris Martin, the band’s frontman, cracked a joke rumors over the couple’s awkward reaction which only fueled speculation.
‘Oh look at these two! Oh what? Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy,’ Martin said to the crowd.
The pair were put on leave Friday as Astronomer launched their investigation. Byron’s resignation was announced by the company on Saturday.
Astronomer CEO Andy Byron, 50, and the company’s HR Chief Kristin Cabot were caught getting cozy at a Coldplay concert on the big screen
Ry Walker, the former CEO of Astronomer, spoke positively about his previous colleague Byron during the scandal that captivated the internet.
Walker was CEO for the billion-dollar company from 2015 to 2019, until they ‘hit serious traction,’ he said.
‘At that point I brought in an experienced CEO for the growth stage. That decision turned out very well for the company, and me personally – I don’t regret it at all,’ Walker added.
Walker, who is now the CEO of Tembo AI, also praised Astronomer for the appointment of Pete DeJoy, the company’s co-founder and head of product, as interim CEO.
‘[DeJoy] is an amazing co-founder and friend,’ Walker said.
Public records suggest both Byron and Cabot are married – but that they live at different addresses to those listed as their spouses.
Speculation of the suspected affair became the talk of the internet, and Daily Mail confirmed that Cabot is in fact currently married to another CEO.
Massachusetts property documents dated in January confirmed that Cabot is currently married to Andrew Cabot, the chief executive of Privateer Rum, a Massachusetts-based booze maker.
It is unclear exactly when the pair tied the knot, but the documents confirm that Cabot, whose maiden name is Stanek, was married at the time of selling a $1.8m property in Watertown, Mass, earlier this year.
‘I’ve found Andy to be professional, I’ve only ever been on a call with him once,’ Walker said. ‘Everyone on the team has praised his leadership to me. So I think this is an unfortunate development that comes as a big surprise’
Chris Martin, Coldplay’s frontman, cracked a joke that contributed to the stir of rumors over the couple’s awkward reaction
Byron is married, with his wife Megan Byron, removing his last name from her social media accounts shortly after the exchange with Chris Martin went viral
Privateer Rum’s website lists Andrew Cabot as its CEO and COO of the company, and public documents show that he has been married at least twice before, in 1993 and 2014.
He shares two children with his first wife Maud, who shared a picture of her ex-husband with Cabot looking loved up at his daughters 25th birthday party on social media in April of last year.
Cabot even posed with his son Henry, 30, in the snaps, and was seen wearing a wedding ring at the event – which was missing during her cozy Coldplay date with Byron.
Byron is also married, with his wife Megan Byron, removing his last name from her social media accounts shortly after the exchange with Chris Martin went viral.
It comes after AI-tech start-up Astronomer said they have launched a formal investigation into the moment of intimacy.
‘Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability,’ they said in a statement.
‘The Board of Directors has initiated a formal investigation into this matter and we will have additional details to share very shortly.’
When Cabot joined the firm as HR boss in November 2024, Byron heaped praise on her, saying she would be a ‘perfect fit’ at his company.
When Cabot joined the firm as HR boss in November 2024, Byron heaped praise on her, saying she would be a ‘perfect fit’ at his company
Speculation of the suspected affair became the talk of the internet, and Daily Mail confirmed that Cabot is in fact currently married to another CEO
‘Kristin’s exceptional leadership and deep expertise in talent management, employee engagement, and scaling people strategies will be critical as we continue our rapid trajectory,’ he said in a press release at the time.
‘She is a proven leader at multiple growth-stage companies and her passion for fostering diverse, collaborative workplaces makes her a perfect fit for Astronomer.’
Byron’s firm is valued at over $1 billion, with the company experiencing rapid growth since he became CEO in 2023.
