Data protection specialist Proofpoint to create 94 jobs

Proofpoint, a Nasdaq-listed data protection specialist which last year acquired Northern Ireland's only home-grown cloud security company is to create 94 jobs in Belfast.

The California-headquartered company has plans to invest some £6 million in its Belfast operation, formerly Mail Distiller, which currently employs 18 people. It intends that its Belfast facility will become a research and development operations centre for its business product – Proofpoint Essentials – which is specifically designed for small to medium-sized firms.

Gary Steele, chief executive officer of Proofpoint Inc, said its acquisition last year of Belfast-based Mail Distiller, which was founded by Fermanagh-born Colm McGoldrick in 2004, had perfectly positioned the American company to grow the SME segment of its global operations.

Mr Steele said Proofpoint's technology was used by the world's largest and most security-conscious companies, and it wanted its Northern Ireland operations to play a key role in bringing this technology to a whole new set of customers by broadening its distribution and support networks.

"With the support of Invest NI we have committed to make a strategic investment in Northern Ireland, to drive innovation through Proofpoint Essentials, and to establish a base of customer and network support operations for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

Technology ecosystem

“We have been very impressed with the technology ecosystem in Northern Ireland, which shares many of the characteristics of Silicon Valley, including access to world-class cyber-security research at Queen’s University.”

The regional business development agency has offered more than £600,000 of support for the new jobs, which are expected to be in place by the end of 2016.

The North's Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment, Arlene Foster, has welcomed the investment.

Telecoms links

“Proofpoint recognised the benefits of establishing a European centre here, including the availability of high-quality technical and sales staff, as well as the high-speed telecoms links between Northern Ireland,

North America

and Europe,” the Minister said.