Globally headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, Proofpoint has offices worldwide including in the UK and Northern Ireland and helps companies around the world stop targeted threats, safeguard data, and make users more resilient against cyber attacks.

Speaking at the official opening of Proofpoint's office at One Albert Quay, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Peter Burke said: "This expansion is a testament to Ireland’s attractive business environment and our commitment to fostering innovation and growth in the cybersecurity sector.”

“The creation of over 250 jobs in the coming years is a significant boost for the region and highlights our ongoing efforts to support enterprise, development and employment opportunities across the country."

Rémi Thomas, chief financial officer of Proofpoint said the company's expansion into Ireland was critical to the firm's international growth, and solidified its ability to protect European organisations. 

Speaking to the Irish Examiner, Mr Thomas said Cork was chosen as its preferred location over Dublin or Limerick, as well as several countries in Eastern Europe.

"We were very excited about Ireland in general, but we chose Cork for three reasons. The first was the availability of talent, not just in engineering but across other functions. The second was its ecosystem - There are more than 40 cybersecurity firms based here in the Cork area, plus two key universities that have the best in-class engineering programmes.

"The third reason is, from a cost standpoint, Cork is very competitive, certainly more competitive than Dublin, which was also a factor that we took into account."

Mr Thomas added that marketing, finance and accounting will be some of the key focuses in its Cork hub as the company expands further into Europe.

"We are shifting. We are trying to get more business outside of the US, so these elements will be very important. And in terms of AI, Cork will have a major role to play."

Proofpoint currently has over 4,500 employees globally with over 100 people already in in Cork. As the company grows, Mr Thomas said its initial plans to hire to 250 people by 2025 may evolve, depending on its demand for AI engineers, with plans to greatly expand its customer base across Ireland.

"When you establish an international hub like this, by definition, we will start looking at local companies that need to be protected, so I am hoping that our business in Ireland will expand as well."

Speaking at the official opening, CEO of IDA Ireland Michael Lohan said Proofpoint's choice of Cork emphasises the "critical importance of regional investment," showcasing the South-West region’s "established cybersecurity cluster and the abundant talent available regionally and indeed across the country." 

"Proofpoint’s expansion further solidifies Ireland's reputation as a premier location for global cybersecurity and compliance companies. We eagerly anticipate supporting their growth and continued success in Cork."