Proofpoint tasks 20-year security veteran with running APJ

Proofpoint has appointed Alex Lei as new regional leader of Asia Pacific and Japan (APJ), recruiting the industry veteran from Dell Technologies.

Effective immediately, Singapore-based Lei is tasked with driving customer acquisition across all key markets for the security vendor, in addition to developing a regional partner ecosystem – cited as “strategically important” to future growth ambitions.

Leveraging a suite of cloud-based solutions, Proofpoint goes to market via a channel housing value-added resellers, managed service providers and global system integrators, alongside security consultancy specialists.

“As we continue to expand across the Asian theatre and globally, Proofpoint’s reputation as an undisputed cyber security leader has allowed us to attract fantastic talent,” said Blake Sallé, chief revenue officer at Proofpoint. “Alex’s proven track record within technology and cyber security will help us deliver on our people-centric security vision in the region, against exceptional demand for our services.”

Lei joins the vendor from Dell EMC, having previously held the role of vice president of Data Protection Solutions for more than two years, following regional leadership positions at FireEye and Symantec during a 20-year career within security.

“Proofpoint is the trusted cyber security partner to some of the world’s most respected companies and we have an exceptional opportunity to gain traction across APJ,” Lei added. “I am excited to join the team and look forward to bringing award-winning solutions to market, to help regional organisations navigate a complex and ever-evolving cyber threat landscape to better protect their business and their customers.”

According to IDC, managed services is expected to account for the “largest and fastest growing” segment of the security market during the next six months, triggered by heightened customer demand for protection amid a sustained shift in remote working.

Billed as ‘single-tenant solutions operated by third-party providers and residing on customers’ premises’, increased end-user appetite for managed security offerings delivered via the channel comes in response to the continuation of wide-scale lockdown measures which in turn have prompted a significant rise in cyber threats.

Such demand is followed by integration services and consulting services, with the overall security services market accounting for approximately half of all security spending in the short-term.

Looking ahead, security services investment is expected to increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.5 per cent during the next five years, with managed services in particular set to outpace the market at 13.6 per cent.