Coldplay Kiss Cam Scandal Ends in Resignations at US Tech Firm
The viral Coldplay concert video that had the internet buzzing has now led to two high-profile resignations at US tech startup Astronomer. Kristin Cabot, the company’s chief people officer, officially stepped down days after CEO Andy Byron resigned following an internal investigation. The now-infamous clip, shot at a concert near Boston, showed a man and woman embracing on the venue's big screen before awkwardly ducking out of view. Coldplay's Chris Martin chimed in with, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy.”
Though the company never confirmed the identities of those in the video, online sleuths quickly linked the pair to Byron and Cabot. Fake apology statements circulated online, prompting Astronomer to clarify that no official comments had come from either executive. The firm later stated, “Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met.”
Astronomer’s co-founder Pete DeJoy has stepped in as interim CEO, noting the company “became a household name almost overnight” in a statement addressing the sudden media storm. Despite the chaos, he emphasized the company’s continued focus on its work in data and artificial intelligence.
