The tragic killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has forced corporate leaders to confront a stark reality: the threat landscape facing today's executives is more complex, visible, and unpredictable than ever before. For years, many organizations have treated executive security as an ancillary service or an unnecessary luxury.
This perspective is no longer tenable.
With decades of experience in government and corporate security, we've observed firsthand how the convergence of physical and digital threats has created new vulnerabilities for executives. Protecting these key individuals is no longer just about shielding them from harm—it's about safeguarding shareholder value and the future of the organizations they lead.
The Converging Threat Landscape
Executives today face risks from multiple fronts. High visibility in the public sphere, combined with the power of social media, has made it easier for adversaries to track movements, spread misinformation, or incite violence. Digital threats like doxxing, which exposes executives' private information, often spill over into the physical realm, putting leaders and their families at risk.
This new era of risk requires a modern approach to security. Relying on reactive measures after a threat becomes imminent is not enough. Instead, organizations must adopt a proactive, protective intelligence model that integrates physical security, digital monitoring, and robust risk analysis to anticipate and mitigate threats before they materialize.
Key take-aways:
· * In our elevated threat landscape, holistic threat assessments are required on the CEO, and re-evaluated quarterly.
· * Digital monitoring for adverse intelligence signals is imperative.
· * Discreet counter-surveillance teams need to be deployed on executives whose names have surfaced on wanted posters, in social media, and targeting cards.
· * Enhanced protection should be in place at public venues or scheduled events.
· * For the most part, a two-person shadow team of protection agents can cover any move by the CEO is a discreet fashion, if trained properly.
Balancing Security and Accessibility
Many executives resist robust security measures, perceiving them as intrusive or counterproductive to their leadership style. This reluctance often stems from a misunderstanding of what modern security entails. The most effective programs are tailored, discreet “shadow” teams, and designed to support the executive's ability to lead without fear or disruption.
For example, trained protection agents often double as logistical coordinators, offering both safety and efficiency, ensuring executives can operate confidently. Meanwhile, quiet investments in digital threat monitoring and home security systems can provide peace of mind for executives and their families without creating a visible "security bubble."
To make these solutions work, organizations must foster a culture where security is seen as an enabler rather than an obstacle. This requires ongoing education and open communication between security professionals and the executives they protect.
The assassination of Brian Thompson is a wake-up call for corporate leaders, but it also represents a call to action for the security industry. Protecting executives is no longer just about physical safety—it's about empowering them to lead confidently in an increasingly unpredictable world.
Failure to recognize this is openly placing business, and CEOs’ lives at risk.
Authors:
Chuck Randolph is a decorated security and intelligence leader with over 30 years of experience. As Chief Security Officer for Ontic, he drives innovative solutions to complex risk challenges through the company’s Center for Connected Intelligence. A retired Lieutenant Colonel, Randolph has led security, protective, and intelligence operations in the military and a Fortune 50 company. He co-founded the International Protective Security Board and has been featured as an expert on CNBC and Fox Business News.
Fred Burton is a former special agent and New York Times best-selling author. Voted by Security Magazine as “one of the 2021 most influential people in security”, Burton is routinely described as a “pioneer” in the field of protection. He was the first to bring the concept of protective intelligence to the private sector in 1998 and his ground-breaking model has since become the gold standard in the protection of Fortune 1000’s and Ultra-High Net Worth individuals. Burton has been featured as a terrorism, protection, and security expert on major news, tv and radio, to include, Canada Talks, Sirius XM, ABC Nightly News, CBS Evening News, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Morning Joe, The Daily Show, NBC's The Today Show, CBS's The Early Show, CNN, NPR, and FOX & Friends.
