Personal Protection: Perk Or Necessity?

The shocking murder of Brian Thompson, the chief executive officer of UnitedHealthcare, while walking to an investor meeting in New York City on December 4, 2024, has caused many boards of directors and executive teams to reevaluate the security arrangements, if any, provided to their senior leaders.

Threats to the safety and wellbeing of business leaders are no longer limited to high-profile entrepreneurs or Wall Street leaders. Where personal security benefits such as bodyguards, home security systems, secure modes of transportation and personal emergency response services may once have been considered by some critics as excessive or unnecessary "perks," current events indicate that a more nuanced and targeted approach to executive safety may be necessary.