Ex-Astronomer HR Chief Cabot Files for Divorce After Viral Kiss Cam Incident

Lead: Kristin Cabot, former Chief People Officer at data-workflow firm Astronomer, filed for divorce from her husband in a Portsmouth, New Hampshire family court on August 13, following her widely circulated kiss-cam moment with then-CEO Andy Byron at a Coldplay concert on July 16.

Nut Graf: The divorce petition-entered less than a month after the viral incident that forced both executives to resign-underscores the personal and professional fallout from the unexpected exposure. The legal proceedings will formally address Cabot’s marital separation amid ongoing public scrutiny.

  • Filing Date & Location: Cabot submitted her divorce petition on August 13 in the Family Division of New Hampshire’s 10th Circuit Court, Portsmouth.
  • Next Court Event: A planning conference is scheduled for November 26, 2025, to set timelines and discuss custody, support, and asset division.
  • Public Comment: Neither Cabot nor her husband, Andrew Cabot, has offered statements; their legal representatives have declined to comment.

Background of the Kiss-Cam Scandal

On July 16 at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, Coldplay’s jumbotron panned to Cabot and CEO Andy Byron sharing an embrace. Startled, Byron dropped to the floor and Cabot turned away-an awkward reaction that prompted frontman Chris Martin to quip, “Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy.” Phone-recorded footage went viral, igniting widespread media coverage and workplace discussions.

Professional Consequences

  • Resignations: Amid the scandal, Byron resigned as Astronomer’s CEO on July 19; Cabot left her HR leadership role a few days later.
  • Company Response: Astronomer’s board accepted Byron’s resignation, appointing co-founder Pete De as interim CEO, and emphasized a commitment to upholding high conduct standards.

Industry Perspective

Human resources experts note that romance between supervisor and subordinate can pose leadership risks and power-imbalance concerns. They caution organizations to enforce clear policies on workplace relationships to prevent personal matters from undermining corporate reputation.

This article adheres to the inverted-pyramid style, highlighting the most critical details first and providing context and implications in descending order of importance.