Proofpoint, Inc. announced that Ashan Willy, EVP and GM, Security Products and Services, has been appointed interim Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately. He succeeds Gary Steele, who as founding CEO of Proofpoint is stepping down after having served in the role for the past 19 years. Mr. Steele will stay on until March 19, 2022, to ensure a smooth transition.

Ashan Willy currently leads product management, engineering, and threat research for Proofpoint and has over 25 years of industry experience having held senior leadership positions at Webex, Juniper, Polycom, and Cisco.