In 2024 and 2025, a series of high-profile incidents, including the assassination of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, highlighted significant security vulnerabilities. These alarming events prompted many organizations to reassess their security operations and invest in protective measures for executives.
These occurrences serve as a sobering reminder that organizations across all industries face potential threats. While the renewed focus on physical protection is crucial for safeguarding executives, many organizations are neglecting the importance of online exposure in identifying, tracking, and targeting these individuals.
Executives may inadvertently share more information about themselves, including their locations, than they realize. For instance, social media photos could unintentionally reveal a CEO's whereabouts. Meanwhile, company bios and articles about forthcoming events may appear innocuous, yet they can disclose vital information about executives' habits, movements, and vulnerabilities.
Today, proactive executive protection (EP) is essential. An intelligence-led approach that assesses risks early, establishes layered defenses, and provides protection while allowing leaders to fulfill their roles is crucial.
Organizations can simplify this process into three key steps: assess, design, and deliver.
Step 1: Assess Your True Risk
The first step in effective EP is to determine whether a threat is credible or merely noise. A valuable starting point is to assess whether the person or group posing the threat has the access, opportunity, and means to carry out a harmful act.
Does the threat have physical or digital proximity to the executive? Is there any evidence of planning or fixation? If these elements are absent, the threats may stem from frustration rather than genuine danger.
This is where the ability to filter through digital noise becomes essential. Modern security tools and teams can assist with this process. For example, open-source intelligence (OSINT) monitoring and similar structured tools can help differentiate between credible threats and irrelevant chatter, while providing insights into online discussions regarding executives, their corporate decisions, or dissent from individuals or groups of interest. Such analysis can uncover patterns that might otherwise go unnoticed, such as repeated mentions of an executive's travel schedule or personal life.
Step 2: Design a Plan of Action
Once a credible threat is identified, organizations must create a layered, adaptive plan tailored to the individual at risk and the specific threat, rather than relying on a generic security checklist. Protection is a complex issue that cannot be resolved simply by hiring a security agent; it requires a multifaceted approach. Physical security may react to incidents after they occur, but it does little to prevent threats from arising in the first place.
A more effective strategy focuses on integrating protective intelligence, which encompasses digital risk management alongside physical safeguards. Organizations should carefully evaluate what information is publicly accessible about their executives, including personal details and travel-related data.
Simple adjustments such as delaying the release of travel-related content or limiting unnecessary personal details in biographies can help manage visibility and significantly lower risk. Additionally, proactive monitoring is crucial, as threats and triggers can evolve rapidly. A robust plan is essential for adapting to changing conditions.
Step 3: Deliver the Protection
EP is a highly personal service that relies on trust, yet it can be disruptive if not designed for long-term sustainability.
A customized protection plan must find the right balance: addressing credible threats while enabling executives to perform their duties effectively. Overly restrictive measures can diminish confidence and compliance, while underestimating risks can leave leaders vulnerable.
Ultimately, EP is an ongoing process that requires communication, regular reassessment as threats evolve, and proactive intelligence. Organizations that look beyond the surface will be better equipped to protect their leaders, stay ahead of emerging threats, and maintain operational agility.
