The assassination outside of a Manhattan hotel in midtown New York by the CEO of UnitedHealthcare has rekindled discussions about the U.S. Healthcare System and raised the issue of executive protection for executives both domestically and internationally. No matter what the title of the executive or the position of the company is, they face the same extreme health and security risks and dangers as anyone else.
Kidnappings, shootings
Kidnappings, assassinations and other extreme scenarios are the biggest risks for any business travel. The best way to protect yourself from these extreme scenarios is to simply avoid them.
A security detail, by definition, is proactive. This means that a part of it – an advance team – travels before the rest to assess the level of safety at the destination, and if needed, make changes. They can respond to crises but avoiding them is their main goal. Another part of the team travels along with the executive to ensure their immediate safety
The use of firearms is just one tool that an executive protection detail uses to reduce risk. However, they are not always required. A security detail that is armed can provide a higher level of deterrence, and in an emergency it may even save lives. Guns are usually required based on the threat level at a particular location.
Bodyguards and Executive Protection
Bodyguards and executive protection are often confused. Executive protection is proactive in dealing with emergencies. Bodyguards react to emergencies.
A bodyguard can deter threats through his physical presence. Bodyguards are not always aware of imminent threats or the vulnerability of their clients, and therefore cannot avoid danger. This defeats the purpose of security. It is not a good idea to respond in an emergency. All business goals will be lost, as the crisis takes priority.
A security detail’s purpose is to prevent crises. Before accompanying clients on travel, executive protection security detail prepares and plans extensively. A security detail will travel ahead of you to assess the level of safety at your destination, and if needed, make changes in your plans. They can respond to crises but the main goal is to avoid them.
Not Just for CEOs
Executive protection isn’t just for the wealthy. Executive protection is not only for wealthy people. These factors can include the geopolitical climate of the travel destination, the reliability and capability of the local law enforcement. Employees from large, wealthy companies may be targeted to take advantage of or manipulate the organization. Traveling abroad, citizens of certain countries are also more vulnerable.
Get the executives on board
Executive protection does not cure all. Safety cannot be guaranteed, even with a security detail. Travelers or their organizations should examine alternative solutions to achieve the same goals if the destination’s risk level requires a security team. It is important to plan ahead in order to strike a balance between safety and productivity.
All of this is useless if the executives traveling are not on board. Be sure to inform your executives of the plan, and make sure they’re ready to follow it. It will improve safety and productivity and allow them to achieve their business goals, even in remote and challenging locations.
As a veteran who has worked on hundreds of security teams both here in the US and abroad, I can tell you that the best security team will prevent crises, and if needed, be ready to respond when something does happen. A smooth and safe trip is the real success. All threats are avoided so that business can continue uninterrupted.
