Cybersecurity firm Proofpoint explores external funding as it eyes IPO [Video]

Sumit Dhawan, CEO of Proofpoint, took the reins as head of the cybersecurity company in 2022, a year after it was acquired by Thoma Bravo for $12.3 billion. He’s been pushing the firm to consider strategic opportunities such as mergers and acquisitions of smaller cybersecurity players to boost the company’s market expansion and stimulate industry consolidation.

Proofpoint

LONDON — Privately-held cybersecurity firm Proofpoint is exploring tapping external investors for pre-IPO financing and the consideration of mergers and acquisitions of smaller cyber companies as it seeks a return to public markets in 2026, CEO Sumit Dhawan told CNBC.

“We are looking at potentially exploring public markets sometime in the next 12 to 18 months,” Dhawan, who took the reins as Proofpoint’s newly appointed chief in 2022, a year after the company was acquired by private equity firm Thoma Bravo.

Dhawan added that the timing of Proofpoint’s IPO would still remain dependent on general market conditions as well as the …