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Executive Protection May Need Review After CEO Killing
July 1, 2025 5 minutes read
By Greg Freeman
The shooting of Brian Thompson in December 2024 has brought attention to the security needs of healthcare executives, with some in the industry suggesting that organizations should devote resources to increased protection.
Thompson was CEO of UnitedHealthcare when he was shot and killed in Midtown Manhattan by a masked man. The words “delay,” “deny,” and “depose” were written on shell casings used in the murder, which authorities theorize may refer to the insurer’s strategy for denying claims. Luigi Mangione later was apprehended and charged with murder.
The unfortunate reality is that security risks are ever-present, and not exclusive to the healthcare industry nor executives, says Brittney Blair, associate managing director of K2 Integrity, a company in Chicago that provides risk and security services. However, on the heels of the Thompson’s death, awareness of such threats has heightened for those groups, specifically. Generally, businesses that directly touch lives, such as finance, healthcare, and insurance, tend to be more on the receiving end of discontent and vitriol because of the massive direct effect the decisions made by such companies have on individuals, she says.
“With the prevalence of personal details online about nearly everyone, it is now easier than ever for someone negatively impacted by a decision made by an insurance company or a mistake made by a hospital to identify and target the decision-makers leading the company in order to seek revenge,” Blair says. “Unfortunately, all it takes is one individual with a vendetta to identify an executive they believe to be responsible for the harm in their life, and a myriad of problems or threats can follow.”
Awareness around threats toward executives has heightened recently, as well as public discourse around such threats, she says.
“We have seen a recent increase in negative and threatening language online within social media posts, news article comments, reviews, and online forums, such as Reddit. More than ever before, executives and businesses need to focus on an intelligence-driven security strategy, which starts with online threat monitoring to identify and collect potential threats or concerning posts made online and on the dark web in real time,” Blair says.
Using a comprehensive monitoring tool then allows the security team to base coverage and posture on the current threat landscape rather than guesses, she says. For instance, if you know that negative online chatter is spiking, and your executive is scheduled to speak at a public event, extra precautions should be put in place because there is a greater chance of attracting threats or problems at the event, Blair explains.
“The current environment and general societal risks absolutely warrant security measures beyond campus security, especially for those in the high-profile industries, such as healthcare. I am currently working with a number of clients across various industries to conduct comprehensive reviews of their security operations, policies, and procedures and help advise on filling in gaps,” she says.
These deep dives into operations cover everything from the physical access control systems in place at buildings to how visitor credentials are issued and how employees are educated about security procedures — and many details in between, she says. Security should be intertwined with nearly every aspect of a business operation and goes far beyond the guard standing at the entrance, she says.
“In fact, for many of my clients, the actual security guards are one of the least critical elements of their overall security operations, although, in most places, they are the most public-facing,” Blair says. “However, even having the best guards in place cannot make up for weak access control systems, poor policies, or a lack of overall training when it comes to keeping a workplace safe.”
Companies are increasing the use of security services for executives, including the addition of security-trained drivers, expanded use of corporate planes for personal travel, and, in some extreme cases, private security assigned to watch over homes, she says. Any executive in the public eye is at risk, not just the CEO, she says.
“While the CEOs tend to be the most public-facing, we are seeing an increase in negative attention towards others in the C-suite and working with companies to make sure their security and executive protection programs are holistic and cover a range of individuals, especially when the company has any active public threats or increases in negative attention,” Blair says.
Online threat monitoring can detect specific threats against the company’s top executives, she says. Such monitors also should be configured to check for personally identifiable information (PII) being posted online for their executives, such as home addresses and phone numbers because of increases in doxxing toward executives, she says.
When threats are detected, executives still may resist additional protection, Blair says.
“Many executives fancy themselves ‘everyday people’ and are hesitant to accept offers of executive protection, even when it is abundantly warranted. In these situations, it is imperative that the company, and their governing board, put strict and thoughtful executive protection policies and procedures in place to help alleviate some of the discomfort that can come with the offer of extra security,” she says. “When the security protection is mandatory, it can sometimes be easier to build from there. However, it is also critical that trust be built between the executive and their security detail, which is not an overnight process.”
Additionally, much like with security guards on campus, having an assigned executive protection agent is not enough to mitigate all risks, Blair explains.
Education is a huge component when it comes to making the case for additional resources, she says. Security always is a challenging department to fight for in terms of resources because it is a cost, Blair notes.
“I always encourage networking and conducting research into what is being done by other similar companies as a gauge of benchmarking and best practices,” she says. “Making the case for additional resources can be easier when it is backed up by examples of other similar companies’ increased investment in security or anecdotes from industry contacts about their current security priorities.”
Source
- Brittney Blair, Associate Managing Director, K2 Integrity, Chicago. Telephone: (312) 429-7729. Email: [email protected].
Greg Freeman has worked with Relias Media and its predecessor companies since 1989, moving from assistant staff writer to executive editor before becoming a freelance writer. He has been the editor of Healthcare Risk Management since 1992 and provides research and content for other Relias Media products. In addition to his work with Relias Media, Greg provides other freelance writing services and is the author of seven narrative nonfiction books on wartime experiences and other historical events.
The shooting of Brian Thompson in December 2024 has brought attention to the security needs of healthcare executives, with some in the industry suggesting that organizations should devote resources to increased protection.
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