Pete DeJoy, Astronomer\u2019s interim CEO, spoke out after taking over for Andy Byron, the ex-tech CEO at the center of an internet controversy and affair allegations, and underscored his commitment to employees and customers alike.<\/p>\n
Astronomer\u2019s interim CEO addressed the public for the first time since taking over for his scandal-laden predecessor<\/a> Andy Byron. Pete DeJoy, who co-founded the tech unicorn, was named interim head of the company over the weekend after Byron resigned<\/a> his post.<\/p>\n Byron\u2019s resignation came on the heels of a kiss cam video<\/a> at a Coldplay concert that showed him embracing the firm\u2019s HR head, Kristin Cabot<\/a>. Byron, who is married, and Cabot attempted to hide from the cameras, creating a viral internet moment.<\/p>\n After the clip spread, Byron was placed on leave while the board launched a formal investigation into his conduct. DeJoy, Astronomer\u2019s then chief product officer, was tapped for the corner office in his absence. Byron resigned his post on Saturday.<\/p>\n \u201cThe events of the past few days have received a level of media attention that few companies\u2014let alone startups in our small corner of the data and AI world\u2014ever encounter,\u201d DeJoy wrote<\/a> on LinkedIn<\/a> Monday. \u201cThe spotlight has been unusual and surreal for our team and, while I would never have wished for it to happen like this, Astronomer is now a household name.\u201d<\/p>\n DeJoy, a graduate<\/a> of Bowdoin College, co-founded Astronomer in 2017. The company has since grown into a successful private data infrastructure and operations company that achieved unicorn status<\/a> in 2022 with a $1 billion or more valuation. He underscored his commitment to the company\u2019s customers and employees in his Monday message, thanking those working at the company for their resilience and Astronomer\u2019s clients for their trust.<\/p>\n \u201cOur story is very much still being written,\u201d he wrote.\n<\/p>\n