A U.S.-based tech company has announced the resignation of its CEO following the circulation of a viral video showing him in an apparent embrace with a colleague during a Coldplay concert.
Astronomer, the company in question, confirmed in a public statement that Andy Byron had submitted his resignation, which the board has accepted.
The footage, captured on a large screen at a Coldplay show in Foxborough, Massachusetts, depicted a man and a woman hugging before seemingly realizing they were on camera and quickly ducking out of view. U.S. media identified the pair as Byron, who is reportedly married, and Kristin Cabot, the firm’s chief people officer.
In its statement released on Saturday, Astronomer emphasized its commitment to upholding its core values and workplace standards.
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“Our leaders are expected to model the highest standards of behavior and accountability. In this case, those expectations were not met,” the company said.
With Byron stepping down, the company’s chief product officer will continue to serve as interim CEO while a formal search for a new leader is conducted.
The brief moment at the concert—where the pair swayed to the music and then abruptly ducked—quickly gained traction online, garnering millions of views.
On stage, Coldplay frontman Chris Martin joked, “Either they’re having an affair, or they’re just very shy,” in response to the couple’s reaction.
Following the clip’s rapid spread online, Astronomer initiated an internal review and placed Byron on leave, leading up to his decision to resign.
