"I would never have...": Astronomer's new boss breaks silence on ex-CEO and HR officer's kiss cam scandal
Astronomer
's interim
CEO Pete DeJoy
has issued his first public statement since taking over the tech startup following a viral
Coldplay concert scandal
that led to his predecessor's resignation. The controversy erupted when former CEO Andy Byron was caught on a kiss cam embracing the company's HR head
Kristin Cabot
at a Boston concert, sparking widespread speculation about an extramarital affair.
"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," DeJoy wrote in a LinkedIn post Monday. "The spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team and, while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name."
From kiss cam scandal to corporate crisis: How viral moment toppled tech CEO
DeJoy, who co-founded the data operations company in 2017, was appointed interim CEO over the weekend after Byron's resignation Saturday. The scandal began when concert footage showed Byron and Cabot quickly ducking for cover after realizing they were displayed on the jumbotron, prompting Coldplay frontman
Chris Martin
to quip: "Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy."
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"Over the weekend, I stepped into the role of Interim CEO at Astronomer, a company that I've proudly poured my entire professional life into helping build," DeJoy stated, emphasizing his commitment to stability during the transition.
Billion-dollar startup vows to move past 'unusual and surreal' spotlight
The Cincinnati-based startup, which achieved unicorn status in 2022 with a billion-dollar valuation, recently secured $93 million in funding led by Bain Ventures. DeJoy stressed the company's resilience, noting they've overcome previous challenges including bank collapses and pandemic-era scaling.
"At Astronomer we have never shied away from challenges; a near-decade of building this business has tested us time and time again, and each time we've emerged stronger," he wrote. "I'm stepping into this role with a wholehearted commitment to taking care of our people and delivering for our customers."
DeJoy concluded optimistically: "Our story is very much still being written."
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