Why Are Executives Prime Targets?
Executives, particularly CEOs, and high-net-worth individuals, face a unique set of risks. Their public visibility, financial influence, and decision-making authority can turn them into targets for financially motivated criminals, political adversaries, or individuals with personal grievances.
In the case of UnitedHealthcare’s CEO, Brian Thompson, his attacker allegedly had deep-seated resentment toward the healthcare industry. For David Balland, Ledger’s co-founder, the motive was financial, as the kidnappers demanded a cryptocurrency ransom. And in 2024, Intercontinental Real Estate CEO Peter Palandjian became the target of a protest organized by BDS Boston, after his company signed a leasing agreement with Elbit Systems of America — a U.S. subsidiary of Israel-based Elbit Systems, which supplies land-based equipment and drones to the Israel Defense Forces.
While the motivations behind these incidents vary, the pattern remains the same: threat actors study their targets, plan their attacks carefully, and exploit predictable behaviors to succeed.
The Role of Protective Intelligence
Preventing attacks requires more than just bodyguards or last-minute security plans. The key to effective executive protection is Protective Intelligence (PI)—a proactive approach that identifies and mitigates risks before they escalate into direct threats.
PI involves continuous monitoring of threat landscapes, social media, and sentiment analysis, adversary mapping, and security assessments of key locations. When integrated with physical security, PI helps organizations detect hostile intent early, assess vulnerabilities, and implement countermeasures before an attack occurs.
Lessons from Recent Incidents
The most effective security strategies combine protective intelligence with physical countermeasures. Looking at recent attacks, several key lessons emerge:
1. Understanding the Risk Environment
Before any high-profile event, security teams must assess the location, audience, and potential threats. This means analyzing historical incidents, identifying potential adversaries, and monitoring online discourse that could hint at emerging threats.
In the UnitedHealthcare case the heightened negative sentiment towards the industry as a whole and the company specifically were visible through online monitoring. se, the attacker likely had grievances that were visible online well before the incident. If security teams had detected signs of rising hostility, measures could have been taken to modify the executive’s security detail.
2. Limiting Public Exposure and Digital Footprints
Executives are often too visible — details about their schedules, events, and personal lives are readily available online. When information about a CEO’s whereabouts is publicly shared, attackers have ample time to plan.
This was a critical factor in the attempted July 2024 kidnapping of Australian billionaire and Yolo Group Founder, Tim Heath, from his Tallin residence days before launching his $100 million casino. The criminals had studied his movements and gained access to his residence by disguising themselves as painters. This level of planning is only possible when attackers have access to consistent, predictable routines—something security professionals must disrupt with the aid of online vulnerability assessments.
3. Breaking Predictable Patterns
Even if an executive’s itinerary and movements are not shared publicly, one of the most effective ways to prevent an attack is to introduce unpredictability. This includes varying travel routes, changing schedules, and using decoy bookings to mislead potential attackers.
In high-risk scenarios, security teams may even consider altering executive transportation methods on the day of an event, minimizing exposure and creating multiple layers of security. For executives attending public conferences or corporate gatherings, exclusive entry points and controlled access areas can significantly reduce exposure. When attackers don’t know where their target will be—or when they’ll arrive—the risk of a successful attack drops significantly.
4. Strengthening Executive Protection Teams
Physical security is the final layer of defense. A well-trained Executive Protection (EP) team is responsible for:
- Conducting advance reconnaissance to identify vulnerabilities before an event.
- Monitoring suspicious activity or individuals near key locations.
- Establishing emergency response plans that include local law enforcement coordination.
- Providing constant surveillance and immediate response in case of an emergency.
In the case of Ledger’s co-founder, the attackers were able to kidnap him from his own home. This highlights a key issue: many executives assume they are safe in familiar environments, yet high-net-worth individuals are increasingly being targeted at their residences. For executives in sensitive industries, residential security should be considered as critical as event security.
Conclusion: Prevention Through Proactive Security
Targeted attacks on executives are not random—they are planned, studied, and executed with precision. Preventing these incidents requires a shift from reactive security measures to proactive intelligence-based strategies.
By integrating Protective Intelligence (PI) with executive protection tactics, organizations can create a layered defense system that identifies threats before they escalate, disrupts criminal planning, and keeps high-profile individuals safe in an increasingly unpredictable world.
Now is the time to evaluate: Are your current security protocols truly built to prevent a targeted attack, or simply prepared to respond once it’s already too late? If you’re rethinking your approach, take a closer look at how Protective Intelligence from MAX Security helps detect threats early, disrupt planning, and safeguard high-profile executives before risk escalates.
