Andy Byron, the CEO of Astronomer.io, made unexpected headlines after being caught on the Coldplay Kiss Cam kissing Kristin Cabot — reportedly his company’s own Head of HR. The moment went viral not just for the awkward romance, but for what it suggested: a workplace relationship at the highest level, complete with questions of power imbalance, ethics, and potential fallout.
But this isn’t the first time a high-level executive like Andy Byron has gone viral for all the wrong reasons.
Here are five similar CEO scandals — each one a cautionary tale in leadership, ethics, and what happens when private moments become very public.
1. Steve Easterbrook – McDonald’s CEO Fired Over Relationship
Steve Easterbrook was ousted as CEO of McDonald’s in 2019 after the board discovered he had a consensual relationship with an employee — violating the company’s strict non-fraternization policy.
Why It’s Similar to Andy Byron Case:
- Power imbalance: CEO vs employee
- No initial disclosure
- Company conducted an internal investigation and later sued him for concealing multiple affairs.
Easterbrook was fired, forced to return millions in severance, and became a landmark example of corporate accountability.
2. Dov Charney – American Apparel’s Founder and the Culture Crisis
Dov Charney, founder and former CEO of American Apparel, was surrounded by a decade of allegations involving inappropriate behavior, including with employees. Though he initially survived several controversies, he was eventually fired by the board.
Why It’s Similar Andy Byron Case:
- Blurred lines between leadership and workplace boundaries
- Involvement with multiple subordinates
- Created a toxic culture that led to his downfall
Charney was ousted in 2014. American Apparel’s brand never fully recovered, eventually filing for bankruptcy.
3. Bobby Kotick – Activision Blizzard & Workplace Misconduct Culture
While Kotick wasn’t caught in an affair, he was accused of ignoring, minimizing, or hiding sexual misconduct claims across Activision Blizzard’s leadership — making him the face of a company-wide scandal.
Why It’s Similar Andy Byron Case:
- Executive failure to uphold workplace safety
- Company faced lawsuits, employee walkouts
- Kotick’s leadership style and silence were major criticism points
Activision faced a PR disaster, lawsuits, and a $69 billion sale to Microsoft that many said was damage control.
4. Brian Dunn – Best Buy CEO and the Intern Scandal
In 2012, Brian Dunn resigned after an internal investigation revealed he was in a “close personal relationship” with a much younger female employee, allegedly an intern.
Why It’s Similar Andy Byron Case:
- Age/power imbalance
- Questions about company resources being used to facilitate the relationship
- Allegations of misconduct surfaced from employees
Dunn resigned under pressure, and Best Buy had to overhaul its leadership transparency policies.
5. Andy Byron – The Coldplay Kiss Cam Scandal (2025)
Byron, CEO of Astronomer.io, was caught on the Coldplay concert Kiss Cam kissing Kristin Cabot — reportedly his company’s Head of HR. The moment went viral across social media, sparking debates about workplace ethics, professional conduct, and leadership boundaries.
- CEO and HR head caught in public moment
- Potential breach of internal ethics policies
- No public statement issued yet, but backlash continues
At the time of this writing, no formal action has been taken, but the scandal has triggered public scrutiny, investor speculation, and online backlash.
What These Corporate Scandals Teach Us
These stories — Byron included — all underscore the same hard truth:
What leaders do outside the boardroom matters inside the company.
Andy Byron’s story may still be unfolding, but it joins a long line of executive missteps that show how personal decisions can have massive professional consequences.
Whether you’re running a global brand or a startup, these cases prove one thing:
Reputation is as important as revenue — and both can vanish overnight.