Security giant Proofpoint is laying off 280 employees, about 6% of its workforce

Proofpoint is laying off about 6% of its global workforce, or 280 employees, the company confirmed to TechCrunch.

“This decision was not taken lightly, and it is deeply rooted in our forward-looking company strategy of aligning our investments and hiring to our strategic priorities, expanding our operational footprint by leveraging a global talent pool, and streamlining our organization with fewer management layers,” in a company statement provided by Proofpoint spokesperson Jennifer Duffourg.

Proofpoint said about half of the positions it eliminated will be moved to its global centers in Ireland and Argentina. Proofpoint added that it expects to end the year with “a similar headcount” to the beginning of this year, without providing specifics.

The layoffs were first reported by Calcalist.

Duffourg declined to comment further when asked by TechCrunch what proportion of employees in management were affected by the layoffs.

Proofpoint’s leadership page — which has no women — says the company has about 4,500 employees.

Private equity giant Thoma Bravo acquired Proofpoint in a $12.3 billion cash deal in 2021. Prior to the close of the deal, Proofpoint reported that it made $1.05 billion in revenue during 2020, up 18% on the previous year. Thoma Bravo, one of the wealthiest private equity firms in the world, says it has $134 billion in assets under its management as of September 2023.

Proofpoint’s spokesperson declined to say if the company was currently profitable.