Proofpoint (NASDAQ:PFPT), a leading cybersecurity company, has appointed Sumit Dhawan as its new Chief Executive Officer. Dhawan, who previously served as the President of VMware (NYSE:US90275F1966=UBSS), brings a wealth of experience to the role, having overseen sales exceeding $13 billion. His appointment follows Broadcom (NASDAQ:AVGO)'s acquisition of VMware and the subsequent departure of former Proofpoint CEO Ashan Willy, who left for a non-cybersecurity position.
Dhawan is recognized for his customer-focused leadership approach, a quality highly regarded by private equity firm Thoma Bravo, the major stakeholder in Proofpoint. As part of the strategic leadership changes, Rémi Thomas has resumed his role as Chief Financial Officer after temporarily stepping in as interim CEO.
Proofpoint is currently integrating its recent acquisitions, which include Tessian's AI-driven email security and Illusive's identity risk solutions, alongside Dathena's AI data classification technology. These strategic moves demonstrate Proofpoint's ongoing commitment to innovation in the cybersecurity space.
In related news, the acquisition of VMware by Broadcom has led to strategic reevaluations resulting in layoffs. Official filings in Colorado revealed the termination of 184 jobs in Broomfield, with affected employees receiving a 60-day notice. This news has sparked online discussions, with former VMware staff expressing their disappointment and current employees paying tribute to the company's contributions to the industry.
Dhawan's past compensation at VMware included $8.4 million in fiscal year 2023 and $18 million in fiscal year 2022. For context, Gary Steele, the founder of Proofpoint who later transitioned to Splunk (NASDAQ:SPLK), earned $9 million during Proofpoint's last public year.
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