It is not every day that a software company’s leadership shakeup makes more noise than its product launch, but here we are. Astronomer, the

data orchestration platform

, just swapped CEOs after a kiss cam moment at a Coldplay concert broke the internet. Stepping into the hot seat is

Pete DeJoy

, co-founder, Chief Product Officer, and now interim CEO of Astronomer.

Meet Pete DeJoy, the new astronomer CEO after Andy Byron | Credit: LinkedIn

The announcement came on July 19, when the company confirmed that DeJoy would temporarily take over from Andy Byron, who has been placed on leave. The reason? Oh, just a tiny PR nightmare involving Andy, a live audience, and some very suspicious hand placements.

Andy Byron, who was appointed CEO in 2023, found himself trending for all the wrong reasons when he was caught on the Gillette Stadium kiss cam with Astronomer’s HR head Kristin Cabot during a Coldplay concert. In the now-viral clip, Andy had his arms around Cabot’s waist before awkwardly pulling away once he realised the entire stadium was watching. Cabot covered her face, and the Internet did the rest.

A game developer has turned the Coldplay kiss cam scandal involving Astronomer CEO Andy Byron into a viral video game (Credits: X/@dexerto)Fans, memes, and office gossip exploded as Coldplay’s Chris Martin reacted live on stage: “Whoa… Either they are having an affair, or they are just very shy.” Andy, reportedly married to Megan Kerrigan Byron, has since gone completely silent. No statements, no clarifications, just a LinkedIn corporate shuffle.

Unlike the headline-making former CEO, Pete DeJoy is a more behind-the-scenes figure, until now. He co-founded Astronomer and served as the Chief Product Officer, where he led the development of its data tools. A Bowdoin College graduate with a background in chemistry and physics, DeJoy has spent the last eight years helping build the very company he now leads. Talk about a glow-up!

Meet Pete DeJoy, the new astronomer CEO after Andy Byron | Credit: LinkedInNow, he is not just holding the reins, he is expected to stabilise a company rocked by scandal and meme-fuelled chaos. The board has launched a formal investigation, and all eyes are on DeJoy to bring things back on track while the drama simmers in the background.