Andy Byron, the CEO of New York-based tech company Astronomer, has stepped down from his role after a video of him embracing an employee at a Coldplay concert went viral. 

The company announced Byron’s resignation on Saturday, stating that he had “tendered his resignation, and the Board of Directors has accepted.”

Astronomer emphasised its commitment to upholding the values and culture that have guided the company since its founding. 

“Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” the company said in a statement.

The controversy began when Byron and Kristin Cabot, the company’s chief people officer, were featured on the “kiss cam” screen at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, during Coldplay’s concert. 

As they were spotlighted, Byron quickly ducked out of view while Cabot covered her face and turned away. Coldplay’s frontman Chris Martin joked about the moment, saying, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just really shy.”

Following the incident, Astronomer launched a formal investigation into the matter. Although the company confirmed that Byron had not issued any statement regarding the situation, alleged statements from him began circulating online. The company later clarified that these reports were “all incorrect.”

As a result of Byron’s resignation, Pete DeJoy, the company’s co-founder and chief product officer, will serve as interim CEO. DeJoy is now listed as the CEO on the company’s leadership page, while Byron’s LinkedIn account is no longer public. However, Byron remains a member of the company’s board of directors.