Why CEOs Now Live Under Constant Threats — And Travel With Bodyguards
Two-thirds of chief security officers at major tech companies state that threats of violence against executives have increased.
Two-thirds of chief security officers at major U.S.-based technology companies stated that threats of violence against executives have increased over the past two years. Many companies now provide protection not only to senior executives but also to their families.
A survey of 2,352 chief security officers from large and mid-sized companies across 31 countries, conducted by U.S. security and staffing firm Allied Universal, found that businesses worldwide face rising threats of violence, with the U.S. tech sector hit the hardest.
Allied Universal CEO Steve Jones said that measures to protect executives surged dramatically after the killing of UnitedHealthcare’s chief, Brian Thompson, last year. “Since then, the number of executives receiving protection has doubled,” Jones said. “In the first six months of this year alone, we conducted five times more assessments than in any prior full fiscal year.”
According to the survey, 42% of security chiefs reported a significant rise in threats of violence against executives, a figure that rises to 66% among those working in U.S. technology companies.
Allied’s research highlighted misinformation as a major driver of such threats. About 75% of security chiefs reported their companies had been targeted by misinformation campaigns, placing staff at greater risk.
Jones noted that companies in the technology, defense, and pharmaceutical sectors are most often targeted. Executives commenting on politically sensitive issues—such as the war on Gaza—face an even greater risk.
In response, companies are reinforcing security procedures, conducting risk assessments for senior executives (particularly during travel), and monitoring online threats.
Last month, Reuters reported that HSBC, Europe’s largest bank by assets, planned to boost its security with additional cameras and biometric access in its buildings.
The Allied survey, which owns the British security group G4S, found that threats of violence against executives are highest in the U.S. compared to the global average. It also revealed that most European companies providing personal protection to executives are based in the UK.
