The new interim CEO of the company has finally addressed the recent “Kiss Cam” incident involving Coldplay. He noted that a small New York AI firm has now captured attention as a “household name.”
Pete DeJoy, co-founder and a local Brooklynite, stepped up to lead after CEO Andy Byron resigned following a public display of affection with HR head Christine Cabot during a concert.
“It’s been a strange and surreal few days for our team. I never expected this, but suddenly, we’re in the spotlight,” DeJoy mentioned in a LinkedIn post on Monday.
“The recent events have certainly brought a lot of media focus, and it’s interesting how even startups in our niche can become major topics of conversation,” he added.
Byron’s resignation followed an awkward moment caught on camera, leading to a light-hearted comment from Coldplay’s Chris Martin, who jokingly suggested they were either “cheating or very shy.”
This incident quickly became a trending topic, leading to some comedic takes from various news anchors recreating the moment.
DeJoy, previously the Chief Product Officer, seems to be taking the situation in stride, using the opportunity to showcase his company.
“I’ve faced challenges before, whether it was starting a software business in Cincinnati or navigating through economic instability. We’ve grown significantly even during a pandemic,” he reflected.
Only months prior to the scandal, the firm had successfully raised nearly $100 million from well-known investors, including Bain Capital and Salesforce.
As of now, none of these investors have commented on the turmoil surrounding the company.
The interim CEO also addressed the situation involving a company employee who had been advised not to discuss the scandal.
“We’re not permitted to talk about it,” one employee reported.
Since its establishment in 2015, the company has attracted over $350 million in outside investments, according to sources like CrunchBase. High-profile investors listed on their site include JP Morgan Chase and Insight Partners.
DeJoy was integral to building the data-focused company, which launched in 2017, and he has since climbed the ranks, being promoted to Senior VP before becoming Chief Product Officer earlier this year.
