New Astronomer CEO says Coldplay scandal made company a 'household name'
Co-founder Pete DeJoy assumed the role of interim CEO after a viral video reportedly showed CEO Andy Byron and the company's chief people officer embracing on the Jumbotron during a July 18 show, according to the New York Times.
Following the scandal, the company announced via posts to X and LinkedIn that Byron had "tendered his resignation."
In a new LinkedIn post titled 'Moving Forward at Astronomer,' DeJoy broke his silence on the controversy with a more positive take on the situation.
New Astronomer interim CEO speaks on scandal
'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 the Monday, July 21 post.
'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," he said.
'From starting a software company in Cincinnati, Ohio, to keeping the lights on through the collapse of the bank that held all our cash, to scaling from 30 to 300 people during a global pandemic that demanded we do it all without ever being in the same room,' DeJoy wrote. 'And yet, we're still here.'
Has Andy Byron spoken up about the scandal?
Byron has yet to publicly address the controversy or his leave of absence at Astronomer. The company has dismissed a recent fabricated statement impersonating Byron.
The video of the July 16 incident at Gillette Stadium has received more than 124 million views on TikTok alone.
The viral moment shows a man and a woman embracing each other before quickly letting go and ducking out of view when a "Kiss Cam" put them in the spotlight at the Foxborough, Massachusetts stadium.
'Uh oh, what? Either they're having an affair or they're just very shy,' Coldplay lead singer Chris Martin quipped at the time.
Astronomer didn't specify exactly why Byron resigned but on LinkedIn wrote the company "is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability."
The company did not respond to USA TODAY's requests for comment.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: New Astronomer CEO calls Coldplay scandal 'surreal' in first statement
Solve the daily Crossword
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Old National names KeyBank exec president, COO
This story was originally published on Banking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Banking Dive newsletter. Evansville, Indiana-based Old National Bank named KeyBank veteran Tim Burke as its president and chief operating officer Tuesday, as it also disclosed second-quarter earnings. "Tim brings nearly 30 years of extensive banking expertise to this critical role,' Old National CEO Jim Ryan said in a statement. 'I am confident that his infectious energy, strong strategic vision and collaborative leadership approach will ensure that Old National continues to exceed client expectations for years to come, while also working to strengthen the communities we serve." Burke had posted on LinkedIn that Monday marked his last day at KeyBank, where he served as executive vice president of the central region and field enablement in the lender's commercial banking segment. In that role, he oversaw commercial banking in 12 markets, including Chicago, Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati. 'I'm truly thrilled to join a team that's so deeply committed to relationship banking and making a real impact on our communities,' Burke said in a statement. 'Old National's core values and mission strongly align with my personal values, positioning me well to jump into the role, take care of clients and deliver standout products and services consistently across all of our markets.' Burke succeeds Mark Sander in the president and COO role. Old National announced in January that Sander would retire June 30. In his new role, Burke will receive an annual base salary of $750,000, an annual bonus with a target worth another $750,000 and an annual long-term equity award that could total 150% of his salary. Burke will also receive a $600,000 cash signing bonus and 33,000 shares of Old National common stock that will vest over four years, the bank disclosed Tuesday. Burke worked at KeyBank for roughly nine years, starting as market president for eastern Ohio, according to his LinkedIn profile. Previously, Burke served as CEO of Akron, Ohio-based FirstMerit Bank until 2016, when Huntington Bank acquired the lender. As president and COO, Burke will be responsible for Old National's commercial, community and wealth segments, as well as its credit and marketing teams. About 4,000 employees will report to him, a company spokesperson told American Banker in an email. Among Old National's second-quarter earnings, also disclosed Tuesday, the bank reported profit rose about 3.5% year over year, to $121.4 million. Old National's $1.4 billion acquisition of Minnesota-based Bremer Bank, which closed May 1, already appears to be bearing fruit. Period-end loans, including those from Bremer, increased 32% year over year, an earnings slideshow indicated. Period-end deposits, including those from Bremer, jumped 36% year over year. Ryan credited Old National for its 'strong focus on the fundamentals' in the second quarter. That included 'growing our balance sheet, expanding our fee-based businesses and controlling expenses,' he said Tuesday. The bank 'is well-positioned for the remainder of the year, benefiting from a larger balance sheet and a stronger capital position," Ryan said. Burke's onboarding isn't Old National's only C-suite move in the past year. The bank last August named John Moran, then interim CFO, to the post permanently. Moran replaced Brendon Falconer, who was arrested in March 2024 on two child molestation charges. Recommended Reading Citi poaches BofA's Sieg as next global wealth chief Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data


CNET
2 hours ago
- CNET
iOS 26 Public Beta Is Here: Download Apple's Liquid Glass Update Today
If you've been itching to poke around Apple's next big iPhone update, today's your day. Apple just opened the first iOS 26 public beta (July 23) to anyone in its free Beta Software Program, letting everyday users try the new OS months before it ships alongside the iPhone 17 this fall. The public beta follows six weeks of dev-only releases, capped yesterday with developer beta 4. iOS 26 is Apple's most ambitious revamp in years. The entire interface now shimmers with Liquid Glass, a translucent layer that morphs as you scroll, and an updated Apple Intelligence powers live call translation and a souped-up Visual Intelligence search. You'll also see other perks like call screening and personalized text message chats. Before you download, double-check your hardware: iOS 26 needs at least an A13 Bionic chip, so only the iPhone 11 model and newer qualify. Apple Intelligence features stay exclusive to the iPhone 16 line and iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max. Also remember that it's still beta software. Expect bugs, battery dips and the occasional app crash. You should definitely back up your phone first (better yet, create an archive on your computer), consider installing on a spare device and keep your computer nearby in case you need to roll back to iOS 18. If that sounds good, here's how to install the iOS 26 public beta. Don't miss: Revert Back to iOS 18 From iOS 26 Beta: The No-Stress, Step-by-Step Guide How to download the iOS 26 public beta on your iPhone As long as you know the risks and have backed up your phone, you can download the iOS 26 public beta. Here's what you need to do: 1. Enroll in Apple's Beta Software Program On the iPhone you want to update, open Safari and visit Sign in with your Apple ID. If you're new to the program, tap Sign Up and follow the prompts to accept Apple's beta agreement. 2. Sign up for the iOS 26 public beta After signing in, choose iOS at the top of the page. You'll land on a dashboard with details about the iOS 26 public beta. Under Get Started, tap Enroll your iOS device. Because Apple now handles betas directly in Settings (no more configuration profiles), all you need to do is link your Apple ID and you're good to go. 3. Enable beta updates On your iPhone, go to Settings > General > Software Update > Beta Updates. Choose iOS 26 Public Beta from the list. 4. Download and install iOS 26 beta Now, return to Settings > General > Software Update. The iOS 26 public beta should appear. Tap Download and Install and follow the on-screen instructions. Keep your phone on Wi-Fi and plugged in during the update. Once your iPhone reboots, you'll be running the latest iOS 26 public beta—complete with the new Liquid Glass interface and (if your hardware supports it) Apple Intelligence features.


CNET
2 hours ago
- CNET
The First iOS 26 Public Beta Is Here, But Think Twice About Installing It Now
Now that the iOS 26 public beta is now available, you may be itching to install it on your iPhone and start to experience the new Liquid Glass interface, live translation and other features coming in the fall. But I'm going to be the annoying voice of reason for a moment and encourage you to hold off for now -- or at least make sure you're loading it on a test device. The "beta" in "public beta" is there for a reason. Prerelease software is unfinished, and even though a public beta means Apple is confident enough to seed it on several thousand iPhones, the goal is to see how the update fares before it's deployed on millions of iPhones. Although the iOS 26 developer beta has been pretty stable, one never knows what bugs could slip through. For more on what iOS 26 brings to the iPhone, make sure you check out everything Apple announced at WWDC 2025. I'm Impressed With iOS 26. Apple Just Made iPhones Better I'm Impressed With iOS 26. Apple Just Made iPhones Better Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 5:40 Loaded : 10.49% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 5:40 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. I'm Impressed With iOS 26. Apple Just Made iPhones Better A positive word about installing the iOS 26 public beta The public beta is more stable than the developer betas, which are intended for developers who need to skirt the edges of stability to test their products. But "more stable" isn't the same as "rock solid." Apple is still adding and changing features in the iOS 26 betas before the anticipated release of iOS 26 in September or October. If you decide to install the iOS 26 public beta, I recommend doing it on a separate iPhone that isn't used as your main personal phone. iOS 26 will work with models as old as the iPhone 11, so reach into the back of your tech drawer and put that forgotten iPhone into service. Also, as always, make sure you have good backups of your data. Bugs are part of the iOS 26 public beta Now, let's discuss why upgrading to the iOS public beta might be a bad idea. Software bugs at the development stage are to be expected -- in fact, that's kinda the point. Now is the time for bugs to skitter into the light so developers can catch them and Apple can fix them before the final release. Opening the public beta to more testers helps flush out odd interactions with a much larger pool of iPhones and third-party apps. Bugs can vary across the spectrum. You could face connectivity issues with Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, or end up with third-party applications crashing from time to time. And runaway background processes could keep the system running hotter than normal, decreasing not just how long the phone operates on a battery charge, but potentially stressing the battery's lifespan. To be fair, I've never dealt with any show-stopping, brick-your-phone bugs in a beta -- usually, they're a series of annoyances that can grate on you after a while. But all of this is perfectly normal in developer and public betas. But if you don't want to deal with bugs and other issues that could make your phone more difficult to use, you probably don't want the iOS 26 public beta on your primary iPhone. Your battery life may worsen Did you recently buy a recommended portable charger for your iPhone? Expect to make more use of it while running beta software. Energy efficiency is usually the last thing Apple's developers optimize, because the priority at this point is to make sure features work and bugs are stamped out. An iOS update also triggers a host of internal indexing, which consumes a lot of energy for a few hours or days after installation. The Photos app, for example, updates its database of recognized people, scans images for new recognizable objects or scenes for search purposes and looks for duplicates. Betas can be tough on batteries. CNET Performance may take a hit Partially because of the reindexing of gigabytes of data on your phone, the iOS 26 public beta will almost certainly not deliver the performance you might be expecting. Processor-intensive apps and games also need to be tuned to work with the new iOS, so stutters and glitches are normal. Game Mode can improve performance in demanding games but beta software could interrupt such low-level processes. Jeff Carlson/CNET I know it's tough to be patient when future features are just a download away. But I also don't want you to be burned (as I have in the past). For more about iOS 26, see how the new Liquid Glass interface compares to iOS 18.