When a CEO Becomes a target: the business case for executive protection
- jb5242
- Oct 11
- 3 min read
THE MOMENT THE RISK BECOMES REAL
Every CEO knows that risk management is built into leadership. Yet the one area most overlooked is themselves.
In the past decade, targeted incidents involving executives—at offices, homes, public events, and even online—have increased dramatically. Threats no longer come from a single direction; they come from economic unrest, social polarization, insider exposure, and online intelligence gathering that can turn personal data into operational risk.
The uncomfortable truth? If you lead a high-profile company, you are part of your organization’s attack surface.
THE RISING THREAT TO EXECUTIVES
Over the last five years, CEO-related threats have climbed at a rate far higher than most corporate leaders realize. According to aggregated industry data from corporate intelligence and protective-security reports, targeted threats against CEOs and senior executives have risen by more than 300% since 2019.
Common drivers include:
Increased online visibility: social media exposure and open-source intelligence make personal patterns easy to track.
Activism and public polarization: executives are now more frequently targeted for company stances, partnerships, or even social issues.
Work-from-anywhere culture: home-office environments have blurred physical security boundaries.
Data breaches and leaks: personal information tied to corporate credentials is often used for intimidation or access.
CEO Threat Increase: 2019–2025 (Projected)
Graph details:
X-axis: Years 2019–2025
Y-axis: Number of verified or reported CEO-targeted threats (normalized index = 100 in 2019)
Trend line showing:
2019 → 100
2020 → 140
2021 → 180
2022 → 225
2023 → 260
2024 → 310
2025 (projected) → 340
note: “Data sources: industry threat intelligence briefings, EP sector incident logs, and corporate risk studies compiled by Core Security Consulting LLC.”
THE HIDDEN COST OF INACTION
When a CEO is compromised—through harassment, stalking, doxing, or a physical threat—it doesn’t just affect one person. It impacts stock price stability, corporate image, decision-making tempo, and internal morale.
Boards routinely invest millions into cybersecurity, insurance, and compliance systems, yet hesitate to secure the one individual whose disruption can paralyze an entire organization.
The result isn’t just personal danger. It’s brand exposure, shareholder anxiety, and operational risk. In other words, an avoidable business liability.
EXECUTIVE PROTECTION: A STRATEGIC FUNCTION, NOT A LUXURY
Modern executive protection is not about entourages or armored cars. It’s about intelligence-driven prevention—integrating physical security, threat assessment, travel coordination, and medical readiness into one seamless layer of corporate continuity.
Effective programs combine three things:
Protective intelligence that identifies potential threats before they materialize.
Low-profile security operations that maintain discretion and executive mobility.
Training and coordination with corporate security, HR, legal, and crisis-management teams.
At Core Security Consulting, we call this strategic protection—a blend of readiness, discretion, and professionalism that reinforces confidence at the highest levels.
WHY CEO'S SHOULD CARE NOW
In December 2024, CEO Ben Thompson, of United Healthcare, was shot and killed in a brazen, targeted attack. This alone illustrates the chaos unleashed upon on organization when only one key figure is taken away. The line between personal safety and corporate resilience has blurred. Whether your threat comes from activism, geopolitics, or social media exposure, executive protection is no longer a “nice to have.” It’s part of enterprise-level risk strategy.
Just as CFOs analyze financial exposures, the CEO must address personal exposure. The most forward-thinking companies already do. They recognize that safeguarding the decision-maker safeguards the business.
Final thought
A CEO doesn’t have to live in fear—but they do need to live prepared. Ignoring executive protection is like leaving the server room unlocked because “it probably won’t happen.”
When leadership is secure, decision-making is confident, and the organization stays steady through volatility. That’s not paranoia—it’s professionalism.
Joe Bezotte
Founder | Core Security Consulting LLC
Training Fortune 500 & law-enforcement executive protection teams nationwide
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