Astronomer CEO Andy Byron resigned on July 19, 2025, amid a viral controversy that erupted at a Coldplay concert. Astronomer is a New York-based DataOps firm behind the Astro platform.
Astronomer took to X (formerly Twitter) to release a formal statement, “As stated previously, Astronomer 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, and recently, that standard was not met. Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted. The Board will begin a search for our next Chief Executive as Cofounder and Chief Product Officer Pete DeJoy continues to serve as interim CEO.”
The statement emphasized that the company’s mission and commitment to its customers remain unchanged, “Before this week, we were known as a pioneer in the DataOps space, helping data teams power everything from modern analytics to production AI. While awareness of our company may have changed overnight, our product and our work for our customers have not. We’re continuing to do what we do best: helping our customers with their toughest data and AI problems.”
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As stated previously, Astronomer 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, and recently, that standard was not met.
— Astronomer (@astronomerio) July 19, 2025
Andy Byron has tendered his resignation, and… pic.twitter.com/aTTUhnnyVz
Also Read: Elon Musk Responds To Astronomer CEO Andy Byron’s Viral Coldplay Moment With HR Chief Kristin Cabot
Despite the upheaval, Astronomer, recently valued at $1.2 to $1.3 billion after a $93 million Series D funding round led by Bain Capital Ventures, has maintained its market position. Its Astro platform built on Apache Airflow is known for its 70% higher uptime compared to competitors and remains a leader in the DataOps space.
Byron, who took over as CEO in July 2023, played a key role in scaling enterprise adoption.
Coldplay ‘Kiss Cam’ Row
During Coldplay’s performance at Boston’s Gillette Stadium on Wednesday night, frontman Chris Martin engaged the audience with the classic “kiss cam” game. As the camera panned over the audience, it landed on Byron and Kristin Cabot. The two were draped in each other’s arms. The two panicked when they saw themselves on the jumbotron screen and hid their faces from the camera.
Chris Martin jokingly commented from the stage, “Oh look at these two… either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy,” prompting laughter from the audience. But the lighthearted joke sparked a major debate on social media.
