Proofpoint is upping its marketing firepower. The cybersecurity and compliance heavyweight has named Joyce Kim as its new Chief Marketing Officer, a move that signals the company’s intent to scale faster and sharpen its position in the rapidly evolving AI-driven security landscape.

Kim steps in immediately and reports directly to CEO Sumit Dhawan. Her mandate is broad: elevate Proofpoint’s global brand presence, strengthen demand acceleration programs, and advance the company’s go-to-market strategy at a time when AI is reshaping the security ecosystem. Proofpoint is leaning heavily into what it calls the “agentic workspace”—a future where humans, data, and intelligent agents operate in a tightly connected digital environment that requires a new class of protection.

Dhawan described Kim as a rare blend of cybersecurity insight and global brand expertise. He noted that her experience with C-suite buyers and her track record of building large-scale marketing engines make her an ideal fit as Proofpoint doubles down on its ambition to lead the human- and agent-centric security category.

Her résumé backs that up. Before joining Proofpoint, Kim served as CMO at Zscaler, where she ran global marketing and communications during a pivotal growth period. She previously held CMO roles at Twilio and Genesys and built high-impact marketing strategies at Wrike, Arm, Google, and Microsoft. She also serves on the board of Quicklogic Corporation and supports early childhood literacy through her nonprofit work at Stanford.

The move comes as AI continues to reshape enterprise security priorities. Companies are now balancing the promise of intelligent automation with the reality of increased risk. Proofpoint sees this tension as an opportunity. By fortifying its leadership bench with a seasoned marketer who understands both cyber risk and digital transformation, the company is aiming to frame itself not just as a security vendor but as a strategic partner for AI-era resilience.

For her part, Kim made the mission clear. She emphasized that AI is rewriting how businesses operate and that secure data and trusted systems are essential for sustainable innovation. Her focus will be on amplifying Proofpoint’s leadership narrative—particularly in data security—and shaping the company’s message around enabling organizations to innovate safely.

The appointment also arrives at a moment of intensifying competition. Cybersecurity vendors are racing to define security frameworks that protect AI agents and large-scale data workflows. With Proofpoint expanding its capabilities across people-centric and agent-centric security, Kim’s role will be critical in differentiating the company in a crowded and rapidly shifting market.

If the next chapter of cybersecurity hinges on trust, Proofpoint is betting that strong storytelling and sharper strategic marketing will help drive its message home. Kim’s arrival marks that shift—and raises the stakes for the company’s next phase of growth.