Why did Astronomer fire its CEO but not the HR head after the kiss cam incident?

In the wake of a viral video from a Coldplay concert that triggered a social media storm, U.S.-based data startup Astronomer has confirmed the resignation of CEO Andy Byron, while Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot remains employed as the company continues an internal investigation. The company’s response has drawn scrutiny, raising broader questions around executive accountability, HR governance, and legal thresholds in cases involving public conduct.

The controversy erupted after a video surfaced showing Byron and Cabot in a public embrace during a “kiss cam” segment at a Coldplay concert in Boston. The clip, which was widely circulated online in mid-July, appeared to show Byron hugging Cabot from behind. Both executives were reportedly surprised by their appearance on the jumbotron and attempted to cover their faces.

Astronomer confirms CEO exit, HR head remains

Two days after the incident, Astronomer released a public statement acknowledging that its board had initiated an investigation. While Byron has since stepped down, Cabot remains on the company’s leadership page as of the time of reporting.

Astronomer's interim CEO Pete DeJoy, also a company co-founder, addressed the media attention in a LinkedIn post dated 18 July 2025, stating: “While I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name... 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.”

Cabot, who joined Astronomer in November 2024, has not publicly commented on the matter.

Legal experts weigh in

In a 19 July report by the New York Post, several U.S.-based employment lawyers weighed in on the case, explaining why Cabot’s continued employment may not indicate a double standard, but rather reflect legal and contractual processes.

“In a real-world big company, you can’t just fire someone because the headlines are ugly,” said attorney Nicole Brenecki, noting that terminations — particularly involving executives — are often subject to due process, internal findings, and contractual obligations.

Another legal expert, attorney William Cafaro, told the Post that Cabot and Astronomer could be engaged in exit negotiations or awaiting legal clearance.

“Like if you were to look for a picture of ‘cause’ [for firing] in the dictionary, it would show a picture of the head of HR having a public affair with the CEO of the company,” Cafaro said.

Douglas Wigdor, founding partner of Wigdor LLP and a well-known employment lawyer, added that the final outcome would likely depend on the findings of the board-led investigation.

“Maybe there’s more to the story from her,” he said. “It’s a short video so it’s hard to know what exactly is going on.”

Could this be a harassment case?

The Post report also explored whether Cabot could claim workplace sexual harassment, given the power imbalance between her and Byron. Brenecki was sceptical:

“Unless she was pressured into the relationship because of a power imbalance, there’s not much of a case,” she said.

“Being embarrassed on a jumbotron isn’t the same as being harassed at work.”

Wigdor concurred, noting: “She’d have to demonstrate their relationship was unwanted and I think based off what I’ve seen [that] would be difficult.”

Astronomer, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, has until now been known primarily within technical circles for its work in DataOps and backend data orchestration using tools like Apache Airflow. The company has supported clients in sectors ranging from AI training to sports analytics. But in recent days, its public profile has dramatically shifted due to an incident unrelated to its core business.

The board’s next moves — particularly regarding Cabot’s future — are now being closely watched as a test case in corporate governance and ethical consistency.

As of this writing, Astronomer has not issued any further public statements or updates about the outcome of the investigation or the company’s leadership structure moving forward.