'ColdplayGate': Kristin Cabot STILL Listed On Astronomer Leadership, The Reason She DIDN'T Get Fired

A viral Kiss Cam moment involving Astronomer CEO Andy Byron and his company's HR head, Kristin Cabot, at Boston’s Coldplay concert has taken the internet by storm. Andy and Kristin, both married to other spouses, were accidentally caught cosying up to each other at the concert, which took place at Gillette Stadium on July 16, 2025. Following the public scandal, popularly called the ‘ColdplayGate' Scandal, Andy Byron resigned from his post as Astronomer’s CEO, while Kristin has reportedly been sent on leave. 

Legal experts explain why Kristin Cabot still remains a part of Astronomer's leadership team after the Coldplay scandal

Kristin Cabot is still seen as the HR head or Chief People Officer of the company, despite being on leave after the highly publicised cheating scandal. Regarding this decision, legal experts clarified to the New York Post that despite ‘ugly’ headlines, firing an employee is not that simple; it requires paperwork and discussions before dropping the axe. An attorney was quoted as saying:

“In a real-world big company, you can’t just fire someone because the headlines are ugly. If HR greenlit what happened with Coldplay, and there is a supporting paper trail, heads will likely roll. It just might take a few more days before the axe drops.”

Another legal expert chimed in, saying that while removing Kristin could be seen as a straightforward solution for Astronomer, it’s much more complicated than that. Given that the cause of the decision lies with the HR head having a public affair with the CEO, it could be a challenge to negotiate an exit deal with the company. The attorney stated:

“If you were to look for a picture of ‘cause’ (for firing) in the dictionary, it would show a picture of the head of HR having a public affair with the CEO of the company.”

Attorney Douglas Wigdor, founding partner of Wigdor LLP, told the publication that before drawing any conclusions, it's important to examine the situation more thoroughly. He explained that the viral clip doesn't clearly reveal what was happening between Andy and Kristin, and emphasised the need to understand Kristin’s side of the story as well. He said:

“Maybe there’s more to the story from her. That’s definitely possible about how it came to be that they’re at this concert and they’re embracing. It’s a short video, so it’s hard to know what exactly is going on.”

The Coldplay Kiss Cam scandal that started it all

On July 16, 2025, during Coldplay’s concert at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, a Kiss Cam spotted a middle-aged couple sharing a romantic embrace as they enjoyed the music. However, things turned awkward when the two. Seeing their reaction, the band’s frontman Chris Martin quipped, “Either they're having an affair or they're very shy.” The alleged couple was later identified as Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot.

Andy Byron and Kristin Cabot’s respective marriages

Andy Byron is married to educator Megan Kerrigan Byron, with whom he has two children. After the scandal, Megan reportedly removed his surname from her social profiles and deactivated her accounts. Meanwhile, Kristin divorced her first husband, Kenneth C. Thornby, in 2022. She has at least one child with him and is now reportedly married to Andrew Cabot, heir to the Privateer Rum fortune.

What are your thoughts on Kristin Cabot remaining the HR head at Astronomer?

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