Posted on 07/20/2025 7:26:15 AM PDT by DoodleBob
Andy Byron, the CEO of data infrastructure start-up Astronomer Inc., was caught on the “kiss cam” at a concert with the British rock band Coldplay, hugging a woman from behind as both smiled, at least until they saw their video simulcast on the stadium jumbotron. Reports have alleged the woman in the clip is Astronomer’s chief people officer, Kristin Cabot.
…
What Are the Practical and Legal Risks?
Conflict of Interest and Fiduciary Duties
…A romantic relationship between a CEO and the head of HR could be viewed as a breach of their fiduciary duties to uphold the highest levels of integrity in the organization. Those perceptions could lead to liability from investors, shareholders, and other stakeholders and can jeopardize future fundraising, not to mention the significant threat to careers and families.
Employment Discrimination and Harassment Claims
Office relationships are not illegal per se, and there are many stories of successful long-term relationships having started between coworkers. However, office relationships, particularly involving a supervisor and subordinate, are fraught with the potential for harassment or sexual misconduct, questions of consent, and other legal risks for the employer. Even consensual relationships can lead to allegations of sexual harassment, particularly if the relationship ends poorly.
More significantly, when the relationship involves an ultimate supervisor, in this case the CEO, claims often result from the assertion from the employee in the subordinate position that the relationship was coerced, or even worse, the employee agreed but only because he/she felt the threat to their job if they refused.
Impact on Employee Perceptions and Morale
…employees may feel more reluctant to report harassment or discrimination transgressions because of the fear that HR is simply a puppet to leadership.
(Excerpt) Read more at ogletree.com ...
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If the two of them had just smiled and waved it all likely would have passed unnoticed. However they reflexively demonstrated their own opinion of themselves…
Uh…
Sophomoric.
How dare you.
Utterly classless.
FR going to heck in a hand basket, man.
Before I forget, did you see this one: “Just know our sides are always HR approved” — KFC mocks Astronomer CEO Andy Byron’s alleged cheating scandal
You’re right... a wave a smile and the whole thing would have passed. And the wife complaining a few days later? Not front page stuff.
That said, the guilt showed wasn’t just sexual infidelity - it was a CEO and head of HR possibly working against employees - also a betrayal.
It could also cause potential customers to avoid doing business.
Ping to my HR pinglist (sort of)
As Mayflower said, HR isn’t there for the employees…they’re there to protect the company. Fair enough.
I’ve also said publicly that some of the best HR partners in my career are experts at crisis management and how to unscramble an employee-made omelette.
I suspect this will be the topic of discussion in HR areas for a long time.
There’s more -
“Not at the event”: Astronomer denies Alyssa Stoddard’s involvement in Andy Byron–Kristin Cabot Coldplay concert scandal
It didn’t stop Bill Clinton.
He “resigned”, why hasn’t the HR woman been s#itcanned?
HR today, exists for one purpose, to project power against the straight white male.
.....or if they had just worn covid masks. It was a Cold Play concert. They would have not looked out of place.
Follow HR policy....unless you are HR!!!
HR....the most useless of all employees
HR departments have become commissars and thought police of corporate life. The department heads behave not unlike Savonarola at his peak. Millions of corporate employees are cheering at the sight of a boss and an HR director getting caught and being held accountable.
It should be easy to establish the woman’s location at the time of the concert.
The company should just publish the proof she was elsewhere and kill the story dead—if they are telling the truth.
(Of course if she was fooling around with another corporate executive at that moment fuggedaboutit!)
I wonder if the babe set him up...
If someone had photographed me at a Coldplay concert I’d resign too.
That may be the BEST comment on this saga.
Whatever happened to the saying “Don’t s*** where you eat”?
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