An astronomer co-founder joined a conversation following a scandal involving CEO Andy Byron. This happened just two days after Byron was seen in a cozy moment with HR Chief Christine Cabot during a Coldplay concert.
Ry Walker, the co-founder, tweeted that he had spoken to Byron just once, and that was on the phone. He mentioned feeling surprised by the situation, calling it “uncomfortable” and a “big surprise.” He believed Byron to be professional and, while team members had praised Byron’s leadership, this incident seemed like a regrettable development.
Walker previously served as CEO of the New York-based company from 2015 until 2019 before stepping down. After that, he continued as a board member until 2022 and has since been with Tembo.
Byron became CEO of the company in 2023, while Cabot joined the HR team the following year. In a November 2024 press release, Byron had expressed admiration for Cabot’s leadership qualities.
Walker acknowledged he hadn’t been involved with the company or its board since 2022, prior to Byron’s appointment. He referred to the situation, labeling it as “ColdPlaygate,” expressing his thoughts on the band, even mentioning that he liked a vast number of their songs but observed there’s a lack of their music in his playlists.
He stated he would be open to meeting Chris Martin, the lead singer, at a future concert. Meanwhile, Byron and Cabot have remained silent regarding the incident, even as social media buzzed with rumors, including purported apologies from Byron. In the midst of this, Byron’s wife reportedly deactivated her Facebook account amid the unfolding drama.
