‘We won’t let you down’: Astronomer’s interim CEO’s note after Andy Byron’s Coldplay kiss‑cam fallout

Pete DeJoy, co-founder and interim CEO of data-operations startup Astronomer, has released a public ‘Moving Forward’ statement in response to last week’s widely reported ‘kiss-cam’ incident involving former CEO Andy Byron.DeJoy took over after Byron and Chief People Officer Kristin Cabot were put on leave (and Byron later resigned) after a widely circulated video of the two embracing during Coldplay’s concert at Boston’s Gillette Stadium went viral.
With millions of views on social media and a flurry of media coverage, the clip, which included frontman Chris Martin joking that “Either they’re having an affair or they’re very shy,” garnered worldwide attention.
On what appeared to be his first Monday at work, DeJoy began the day with a message on the Andy Byron issue and the company’s future. In his LinkedIn post, DeJoy presented the incident as a first for the business, writing: “The events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies… 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.”Co-founder DeJoy, who has played a pivotal role in determining Astronomer’s trajectory from its inception, said he assumed the position of interim CEO “over the weekend.” He further acknowledged the ‘unusual and surreal’ attention the company has received in recent days.

He cited Astronomer’s history as evidence of its tenacity, citing its early days in Cincinnati, Ohio, growth throughout the epidemic, and current position as the driving force of vital AI and data pipelines.

DeJoy asserted that Astronomer’s mission is unaffected by the commotion surrounding the leadership change. “Our opportunity to build a DataOps platform for the age of AI remains massive. And our story is very much still being written,” he said.

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With a fresh emphasis on culture, responsibility, and execution, DeJoy thanked his staff and clients for “trusting us with their most ambitious data and AI projects.”

“We won’t let you down,” he concluded the post.

Check out the LinkedIn post here:

Co-founder DeJoy has been working to shape the company’s strategy and product vision since 2017. He graduated from Bowdoin College in Maine with a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and physics. DeJoy joined Astronomer in 2023 as the vice president of product and was promoted to Chief Product Officer in February 2025, according to his LinkedIn profile.

DeJoy’s message conveys the board’s intention of Astronomer: reinstate cultural norms that go beyond a brief period of public disgrace, reaffirm the brand’s credibility, and re-engage stakeholders.