(CTN News) – Proofpoint, a leader in the cybersecurity industry, has acquired Hornetsecurity, a rival company headquartered in Europe, for a sum that exceeds one billion dollars.

The company was determined to act in this manner to expand its market share in Europe and to contemplate a return to public markets.

Proofpoint made its most significant acquisition ever.

To enhance their products, corporations have acquired lesser competitors, resulting in an increasing concentration of the cybersecurity industry over the past few months.

As a result, this recognizes that the integration of artificial intelligence is becoming a more essential aspect of nearly all forms of cybercrime.

Google has announced the acquisition of Wiz, an Israeli cloud security company, for a total of 32 billion dollars. We disclosed the information before March. During the same month, Palo Alto Networks announced the acquisition of Protect AI, a cybersecurity company that specializes in artificial intelligence.

Proofpoint announced on Thursday that the acquisition of Hornet Security would enable the company to broaden its understanding of the managed service provider (MSP) industry. An article on the CNBC website included this information.

Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm, is currently responsible for the management of Proofpoint.

Hornetsecurity is a company that specializes in the provision of management services in the field of managed cloud-based email security solutions. The corporation’s headquarters are in Hannover, Germany.

By implementing these solutions, an organization can enhance its defenses against cyberattacks, data loss, and compliance issues that are frequently associated with Microsoft 365 and other information technology infrastructures. The purpose of these objects is to aid organizations in ensuring their safety.

Proofpoint’s Chief Executive Officer, Sumit Dhawan, has suggested that the partnership has the potential to “integrate disparate security tools into a cohesive platform that safeguards individuals and secures data across the worldwide threat landscape.”

This statement was made in anticipation of the partnership’s ability to achieve this. Conversely, this assertion was made by Dhawan, the individual.

Dhawan observed that “Generative AI has fundamentally altered the threat landscape, enabling swifter, more precise, and more intricate attacks.” The individual revealed this comment during the interview process.

He asserts that small and medium-sized businesses are being targeted by hackers on a more frequent basis; therefore, it is imperative that these businesses integrate high-efficiency components into their strategies.

Suppose the organization decides to do an initial public offering (IPO),

For instance, in October of the previous year, Proofpoint’s chief executive officer disclosed to CNBC that the company was considering re-entering the public markets in 2026.

The company was considering the acquisition of lesser cybersecurity companies through mergers and acquisitions, as well as seeking financing from external sources, according to a statement issued by the chief executive officer.

Thoma Bravo, a private equity firm, acquired the organization in 2021 for $12.3 billion. Subsequently, the corporation transitioned to a privately held business.

Additionally, Hornetsecurity aids us in expanding our marketing operations and provides Proofpoint with a formidable business that caters to a new market sector for managed service providers (MSPs). This is a substantial advantage for both parties.

In an interview with a reporter from a publication, he stated, “Our strength as a company and business is significantly enhanced by the prospect of returning to public markets, as it will significantly increase our profits and cash flow in the future.”

When asked whether Proofpoint intends to go public at this time, Dhawan responded that the company has “nothing new” to disclose. Nevertheless, the organization has declared that “we remain enthusiastic about the initial public offering (IPO) market and will investigate public markets when we determine that they are appropriate.”

The company issued this assertion in response to a query. There is little disagreement on this topic, even though they haven’t revealed anything new about Proofpoint’s goals. Hornetsecurity has been assigned the responsibility of providing professional services to over 125,000 small and medium-sized enterprises, as detailed in a news release issued by the company.

The company employs approximately 700 individuals. Proofpoint asserts that 85 percent of the Fortune 100 companies are its customers, and the company employs nearly 4,500 individuals.

If we follow the conventional procedures for transaction completion, we anticipate concluding the agreement in the latter half of 2025.

SOURCE: CNBC