What should have been a fun concert moment turned career-altering for Astronomer CEO Andy Byron when Coldplay’s “Kiss Cam” spotlighted him and colleague Kristin Cabot in an awkward embrace. Their synchronized flinch away from the camera – and Chris Martin’s immediate “affair” quip – created instant internet fodder, with viewers quickly connecting the dots between the married CEO and his HR executive.
The fallout has been swift: Byron’s wife Megan has erased her online presence, both executives have gone dark on social media, and internet sleuths have dug up Byron’s past professional controversies. The situation raises uncomfortable questions about workplace relationships at the executive level and serves as a cautionary tale about being caught in public moments that tell unintended stories.
