Strengthening Our Commitment to Human-Centric Security: What the Hornetsecurity Acquisition Means for Customers and Partners

At Proofpoint, our mission remains clear and unwavering: to protect people and defend data in an increasingly complex and connected world. Every strategic decision we make-and every innovation we drive-serves that mission.

Today, I want to personally share our vision with customers and partners following the announcement that Proofpoint has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Hornetsecurity. This move is a key step forward in our ongoing commitment to bring human-centric security to more organizations globally, particularly to Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and the small and midsize businesses (SMBs) they serve.

This project is a natural extension of our mission and passion. Hornetsecurity has built a market-leading, purpose-built platform to deliver critical security capabilities to Managed Service Providers and their customers. Our goal is to stand behind the proven platform Hornetsecurity has built and bring the power of that platform to MSPs and SMBs across the globe.

Strengthening What's Working- While Scaling for the Future

Our goal and priority with Hornetsecurity is to sustain its momentum, which can only be achieved through continuity. This means maintaining consistency across leadership and team structures, product offerings, partner programs, contract models, and data sovereignty. We also plan to scale the business by helping the Hornetsecurity platform reach its full global potential, while ensuring that local needs continue to shape the product roadmap. Our intent is to enhance Hornetsecurity's momentum and strengthen further its proven model without unnecessary integrations or additional layers of leadership.

A Dedicated MSP Division, Led by Hornetsecurity's Executive Team

Hornetsecurity's executive team will lead the Proofpoint MSP business as a distinct division within Proofpoint. Over the past six months, I have had the pleasure of working with Daniel Hofmann, CEO of Hornetsecurity, and engaging with his executive team. I have deep respect for the leadership, innovation, and customer trust they have established across Europe and beyond. Their vision for a unified cybersecurity platform purpose-built for MSPs is clear and it's the right one. That is why our entire MSP business will be led by Daniel Hofmann and the Hornetsecurity leadership team as its own division. The division will report directly to me and will have autonomy in decision-making around product offerings and programs.

Hornetsecurity Product Portfolio, Partner Program & Service Levels

I believe Hornetsecurity delivers the most effective, purpose-built security platform for MSPs. Their 365 Total Protection platform and plans offer a comprehensive, all-in-one solution that enables MSPs to secure their customers efficiently through a unified control plane. In contrast, stitching together multiple point products not only drives up costs, but also often fails to deliver the integration, performance, and protection that customers need.

Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection will become Proofpoint's strategic growth platform for the MSP ecosystem following the close of the project. With Proofpoint's scale and long-term commitment, we will accelerate innovation and deepen customer value. This is going to become a multi-year investment in platform, capabilities, and people.

In conversation with partners, I have learned that Hornetsecurity has built a strong partner program and support model. We intend to enhance that foundation and scale it to serve more MSPs globally, especially in countries where Hornetsecurity is seeing rapid adoption, including France, Germany, Spain, and the UK. France and Germany are priority markets for strategic partnerships and alliances. We will continue to develop the local teams and work closely with business partners to address the evolving cybersecurity needs of businesses in both countries.

As part of this effort, we are fully committed to maintaining your current agreements, service levels, and support models. We recognize the strong partner foundation that exists today, and we plan to build on it-not replace it.

Upholding Data Privacy and Data Sovereignty with Global Threat Intelligence

Data privacy and regional sovereignty are essential-especially in today's regulatory climate. Proofpoint has long operated under rigorous compliance standards, including GDPR, NIS2, the UK Data Protection Act 2018 (DPA 2018), DORA, and the EU's AI Act. To deliver on Proofpoint's mission, we must continue to tenaciously safeguard and protect to the best of our abilities the data of all our customers around the world.

For Hornetsecurity customers in Europe, rest assured: your data will remain stored in the same regional facilities, protected under the same local laws and applicable regulations. Proofpoint and Hornetsecurity both have deep experience navigating complex regulatory environments, and we remain fully committed to safeguarding your data-without compromise. To make it clear, customer data will remain in the EU.

We also know that cybercrime doesn't operate with borders, and neither can cybersecurity. Threat actors are capable of leveraging scale, automation, and increasingly AI to launch sophisticated campaigns that target people in every country, language, and sector. That's why our commitment to human-centric security is inherently global. A recent example: our work with Europol and international law enforcement partners in the coordinated takedown of the Danabot malware operation, a powerful reminder that meaningful cybersecurity progress requires global collaboration.

Proofpoint will bring this level of threat intelligence to strengthen the protection capabilities of the Hornetsecurity platform without compromising data privacy and data sovereignty.

Empowering the Teams That Power R&D and Innovation

One of the most exciting aspects of this project is the incredible talent joining our organization. The Hornetsecurity team brings deep domain expertise and a track record of agile innovation. We are committed to growing these teams, especially in key geographies such as Germany, France, Spain, Macedonia, Malta, and the UK. These locations will remain critical innovation hubs, with Hornetsecurity's current leadership continuing to lead strong R&D teams across various sites in Europe.

We are also fully committed to ensuring Hornetsecurity's intellectual property remains vibrant and impactful. Our goal is to further improve these R&D centers and build on the roadmap the team has laid out to enhance the 365 Total Protection platform.

This strategic alliance highlights the excellence of the European cyber ecosystem. Our investment will allow a further development and scale-up of this ecosystem to overcome technological and financial barriers that hinder its growth.

Win for Proofpoint Essentials Partners

For all our Proofpoint Essentials partners, this project reinforces that you selected the right partner in Proofpoint. We are deeply committed to the MSP space and providing you with a best-in-class, multi-tenant, automated platform for email security as well as a full and unified suite for Microsoft 365 security, risk, governance, compliance, backup, and more. Upon closing, we are excited to show you the power of the 365 Total Protection plans that can accelerate your growth and improve your margins while delivering clear competitive differentiation. We intend to provide an optional and seamless upgrade path to Hornetsecurity 365 Total Protection so you can retain and grow your M365 security business across all your customers for many years to come.

Why This Matters: Scaling Human-Centric Security

This project aligns seamlessly with our broader strategy. Together, Proofpoint and Hornetsecurity have the best expertise in human-centric security, servicing two complementary markets with purpose-built technology platforms powered by industry-leading threat intelligence and best-in-class data sovereignty. Regardless of size, it is no longer enough for companies to rely on fragmented tools or reactive approaches. Human-centric security-the recognition that people are both the primary targets and the last line of defense-has become a foundational element of every modern cybersecurity strategy.

To our valued customers and partners: thank you for your trust. We do not take it for granted. We are committed to growing with you, investing in your success, and continuing to be the cybersecurity partner you can count on.

In the EU and on a member state level, cybersecurity is increasingly a matter of sovereignty, resilience, and trust. Our goal is not only to deliver world-class protection, but to do so in ways that respect national priorities, support local ecosystems, and empower our partners. We look forward to deepening our collaboration with business partners and customers across the EU market.

Let's move forward-together-with confidence.