How Activism and Executive Risk Converge Today
A new era of executive protection demands an intelligence-driven, socially aware approach that goes far beyond bodyguards
By Cynthia Marble and Rachel Briggs
This article was originally posted in ASIS Security Management.
In December 2024, the corporate security community was shaken by the murder of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson. The response in some corners of the internet was chilling. The alleged killer was celebrated as a hero on social media, with thousands rallying online to fund his legal defense. For many corporate leaders, it went beyond tragic, serving as a wake-up call that marked the moment when executive risk became real.
Thompson’s death was not an isolated incident. In the past 12 months, the volume and velocity of threats to executives have surged, especially when those threats are tied to protest, political dissent, and other activist movements. Executives are no longer just corporate decision makers; they are public figures and symbolic targets. The result? A new era of executive protection is emerging, one that demands more than bodyguards and encrypted phones. It requires a reimagined, intelligence-driven, and socially aware approach to protection.
This article was originally posted in ASIS Security Management.
