Proofpoint opens Paris innovation centre for AI security
Fri, 8th May 2026 (Today)
Proofpoint has opened a European Innovation Centre in Paris, its second innovation centre globally.
The facility will serve as a regional base for research and development focused on AI-related cybersecurity. It will also act as an executive briefing centre for customers and partners, bringing together the company's technology teams with enterprises, public sector bodies and academic institutions across Europe.
The new site is part of a broader push to expand Proofpoint's presence in Europe. It follows the launch of an international hub and AI innovation centre in Cork and the acquisition of Hornetsecurity, which added more than 700 employees.
Proofpoint now has more than 1,500 employees across Europe. It has also reported double-digit growth in its European customer base since 2024, while annual revenue in the region has risen by 25% over the past two years.
The company says it protects 35% of European-based organisations in the Forbes Global 2000 and more than 21 million mailboxes across the region. The Paris centre occupies 200 square metres in its local offices.
AI focus
The investment reflects growing concern among companies about the security risks linked to AI tools and systems. The Paris site will be used to present products covering threat protection, data security, insider risk management and oversight of AI use across email, cloud and collaboration services.
Proofpoint is positioning the centre as a place where European customers can assess how its products meet local regulatory and security requirements. That is likely to resonate in a market where businesses face growing pressure to manage data handling, privacy and cross-border information transfers more closely.
Kent Breaux, SVP, EMEA at Proofpoint, outlined the backdrop to the move. "More than a third (38%) of European organizations experienced AI-related security incidents in the past year, despite having controls in place - and this risk will only accelerate as frontier AI models advance," he said.
He linked the new site to the company's regional investment plans.
"As AI adoption accelerates, organizations need a new approach to managing risk. With our Paris Innovation Centre, we are deepening our investment in European innovation to help customers stay ahead. Our goal is to enable people and AI agents to collaborate with confidence, without compromising data security," Breaux said.
Regional strategy
Paris gives Proofpoint a base in one of Europe's largest technology and business markets at a time when cybersecurity vendors are competing for contracts tied to AI governance, employee risk and data protection. France has also become an increasingly important centre for AI research, cloud infrastructure and digital policy, making it a logical location for a site aimed at customers, partners and institutions.
The centre is intended to support organisations adopting AI while trying to retain control of sensitive data. Proofpoint also pointed to demand for products that manage internal risk as well as external cyber threats, particularly as AI systems become more deeply embedded in workplace software and communications tools.
Rémi Thomas, CFO of Proofpoint, said the Paris investment fits into the company's broader European growth plans. "France is a key market for Proofpoint and central to our European growth strategy," he said.
He also highlighted regulatory concerns shaping technology buying decisions in the region.
"This investment strengthens our presence and enables us to better support customers and partners with solutions tailored to their regulatory and security needs. We remain committed to data sovereignty and customer trust, safeguarding data across borders while upholding strong privacy standards," Thomas said.
Proofpoint serves more than 10,000 large enterprises worldwide and says more than 80 of the Fortune 100 use its products. The Paris opening gives it a physical focal point for European operations as it seeks to capture more spending from organisations reviewing how to secure staff, data and AI systems at the same time.