NEW YORK (BN24) — Months before they were caught in an intimate moment on the kiss cam at a Coldplay concert, Astronomer CEO Andy Byron publicly praised the hiring of Kristin Cabot, now at the center of widespread speculation over an alleged workplace affair.
Byron, who leads the New York-based artificial intelligence firm, heralded Cabot’s arrival in November 2024 as a pivotal addition to the company’s leadership team. At the time, he described her as “a proven leader” with the experience and passion to guide the company’s growth.
“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,” Byron said in a company press release announcing her appointment. He emphasized her record of success at growth-stage companies and credited her with fostering “diverse, collaborative workplaces,” calling her “a perfect fit for Astronomer.”
Cabot, who previously worked at the data analytics firm Neo4j, was brought on as the company’s chief human resources officer. She, too, expressed enthusiasm about her new role in the same announcement, saying she was “energized in my conversations with Andy and the Astronomer leadership team about the opportunities that exist here.”
That professional relationship took an unexpected public turn this week, when Byron and Cabot were seen cuddling on the kiss cam during Coldplay’s performance at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The moment — captured on the stadium’s jumbotron — appeared to catch both by surprise, with the pair seen attempting to cover their faces as the crowd reacted.
The band’s frontman, Chris Martin, paused during the show and commented on the footage. “Oh, what?” Martin said from the stage. “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.”
The embrace, broadcast in front of thousands, quickly went viral and has drawn scrutiny given the pair’s workplace roles — particularly Byron’s position as CEO and Cabot’s leadership of HR at a company specializing in AI-driven workplace solutions.
Astronomer has not publicly commented on the incident or the nature of the relationship between Byron and Cabot. Neither has responded to media inquiries.
