Astronomer HR Involved In Coldplay Fiasco Is Part One Of Boston's Elite Families

Kristin Cabot, the chief people's officer of Astronomer, is at the center of a controversy. It involves a "scandalous" moment with the company CEO at a Coldplay concert. She is married into one of New England's most affluent families.

Andrew Cabot, her husband, comes from a long line of wealth. He is the sixth-generation heir to the Privateer Rum fortune. This connects him to the original Andrew Cabot, a key figure in Boston's history.

The couple bought a $2.2 million home on the New Hampshire coast earlier this year. Kristin's LinkedIn account showed her role at Privateer Rum since 2020.

Andrew's family is part of a special group of old-money families in New England. They have been influential for over two centuries. Even the Kennedys were once seen as outsiders by them.

The Cabots have been involved in various businesses. These include shipping and manufacturing carbon black, a key material in tire production.

A 1972 New York Times profile estimated the Cabot family's fortune at $200 million. Adjusted for inflation, that's about $15.4 billion today. The family's wealth grew through strategic marriages, like Samuel Cabot's to Eliza Perkins.

A local Boston poem says, "Where the Lowells talk only to Cabots/ And the Cabots talk only to God."

The family's wealth came from some questionable practices in the 19th century. They were involved in the slave and opium trades. Yet, they have also given a lot to education and charity, supporting places like Harvard and MIT.

Ms Cabot was married to Kenneth C Thornby before. She filed for divorce in 2018, and they were divorced in 2022.

Now, she is on leave from Astronomer. This is after a viral video showed her and former CEO Andy Byron in a close moment at Coldplay's concert at Gillette Stadium.

The video showed Mr Byron with his arms around Ms Cabot. They were shocked to see themselves on the Jumbotron. Mr Byron quickly looked away, while Ms Cabot tried to hide her face. This led to Mr Byron's wife, Megan Kerrigan, changing her Facebook profile