Cybersecurity company Proofpoint is expanding its operations in the Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ) region with the opening of its new Singapore office. The office will host several functions, including engineering, sales, marketing, HR, and a dedicated AI research and development team.
The AI research and development team currently comprises more than 20 specialised professionals, including AI researchers, software engineers, big data engineers and cybersecurity experts. This multidisciplinary team is tasked with building and constructing the future of AI-powered defensive platforms that safeguard sensitive data and protect against human-targeted threats.
Proofpoint has chosen Singapore as its regional headquarters and a key international hub for advanced AI capabilities development. The city is recognised globally for its technology investments and vibrant ecosystem and continues to be a premier destination for innovation.
This investment comes at a critical time when AI-driven cybersecurity threats are surging throughout the APJ region. Email fraud volume grew in countries such as Japan (35% year-over-year increase) and South Korea (+31%), where generative AI allows attackers to create more convincing and personalised emails in multiple languages. 52% of CISOs in Singapore now recognise generative AI as a security risk to their organisations.
However, AI’s role in cyber defence has also evolved rapidly. Proofpoint is leveraging AI to transform cybersecurity posture in response to evolving threats, where AI can address the crucial challenge of scale in modern cybersecurity through several key areas, including threat detection and prevention, user behaviour analytics, and data protection.
In today’s expanding digital workspace, 90% of breaches involve the human element. Seven in ten users in Singapore still choose to take risks despite 99% understanding that these actions might compromise their organisation’s safety, fuelling the shift for organisations to
“AI is the core of modern cybersecurity. Proofpoint has been at the forefront of enabling protection with AI while keeping humans at the centre,” said Proofpoint CEO Sumit Dhawan. “This investment not only enhances our ability to deliver localised, compliant security solutions but also reinforces our dedication to addressing the unique cybersecurity challenges faced by organisations across Asia-Pacific and Japan.”
“Singapore’s strategic position as a digital hub, along with its world-class infrastructure and skilled talent pool, makes it the ideal location for expanding our operations in the Asia-Pacific region to provide a human-centric cybersecurity platform,” stated Proofpoint APJ Senior VP George Lee.
“By establishing these essential assets in Singapore, particularly the AI research and development team, we are ensuring faster response times, enhanced data sovereignty, and improved AI-driven human-centric protection for our customers in this rapidly evolving threat landscape.”
Proofpoint currently has over 4,500 employees globally, with about 70 employees in Singapore at the time of this announcement.
