Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint to create 100 jobs in Cork expansion

Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint aims to create 100 jobs in Cork as it extends its operations in its international hub in Ireland, the company announced on Tuesday.

Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint aims to create 100 jobs in Cork as it extends its operations in its international hub in Ireland, the company announced today.

The investment will bring new specialist roles, including data scientists and artificial intelligence (AI) and large language model (LLMs) specialists, at its AI innovation centre at One Albert Quay. This project is supported by the Irish Government through IDA Ireland.

“The ongoing expansion of Proofpoint in Cork is a clear reflection of Ireland’s continued success in attracting world-class companies to establish their international hubs here,” said Enterprise, Tourism and Employment minister Peter Burke. “The creation of up to 100 new roles in the coming years, including in AI and large language models, further strengthens our position as a global technology and innovation hub.” 

Proofpoint will initially be bringing 45 new specialist roles to Cork. Proofpoint will also bring a security operations team to Cork, and increase roles in other functions such as its data security team. The company is also expanding its office space in Cork.

“Our ongoing investment in our Ireland-based business is critical to our international growth, and to strengthening our ability to protect European organisations,” said Proofpoint chief financial officer Remi Thomas. 

“Today’s cyber-attacks are growing in sophistication, and AI plays a critical role in an organisation’s defence against these threats. We are excited to tap into Cork’s technical talent base to further strengthen our industry-leading AI-driven solutions, enabling us to detect and prevent emerging threats at an unprecedented scale, while keeping data secure.”

Trellix – formed from the merger of FireEye and McAfee Enterprise – is established at CityGate in Mahon, while other leading firms in the sector based in Cork include  Forcepoint, Sophos, and Malwarebytes all have a significant presence in Cork. 

The Cyber Ireland national cyber security cluster representing industry, academia, and government, is based at Munster Technical University.

IDA Ireland chief executive Michael Lohan said Cork "continues to cement its position as a leading cybersecurity hub, and today’s announcement from Proofpoint underscores the region’s growing significance in this sector. Ireland’s rich talent pool, particularly in emerging technologies like AI and cybersecurity, is a key factor in attracting such high-calibre investments.”

Proofpoint has global headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, and employs 4,500 people worldwide. The Cork city centre hub already houses key functions for the business, including engineering, research and development (R&D), customer support, finance, and marketing.

“AI is a defining capability that truly sets Proofpoint apart. We have some of the most extensive human-centric threat intelligence data, which amplifies the power of our AI solutions, and ensures that our models are continuously improving and adapting to new threats,” said Proofpoint's chief technologist for Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, Kevin Leusing. 

“The launch of our AI Centre here in Cork will further enhance these capabilities by integrating the latest AI advancements with our unparalleled dataset, staying ahead of even the most sophisticated attackers.”