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 WE GOT YOU COVERED
CONTENTS
GLOSSARY 5

WHAT IS EXECUTIVE PROTECTION  6

CELEBRITY PROTECTION  8

DIPLOMATIC PROTECTION  10

CORPORATE PROTECTION  12

PERSONAL SECURITY DETAIL  16

PROTECTION OF HIGH-NET-WORTHS 20

CONTACT US 24

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GLOSSARY
Protector — the person providing protective services, often with
a strong mindset of safeguarding others’ lives; an experienced
security professional

Protectee — the person receiving protective services, usually

family members, business associates, or administrative assistants
to the principal

Principal — the main person receiving protective services; the

person who is the main subject of protection

Client — legal entity that hires the security company or individual

VIP — very important person

HNW — high-net-worth individual or family; somebody with at

least USD1 million in liquid financial assets

EP — executive protection, a branch of the security industry,

notable for protecting the world’s famous, wealthy, and high-
ranking individuals

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WHAT IS EXECUTIVE
PROTECTION
Executive protection is the art of
providing high-end protective services
to celebrities, CEOs, government
officials, enterprise leaders, HNW and
UHNW families, and other notable
individuals.
EP comprises the process of thorough
planning and assessing weaknesses
in the client’s environment in order to
establish preemptive measures and
preclude an intruder from conducting
an attack.
People offering this type of service are
called protectors, executive protection
agents, close protection operatives,
or several other names. They are well-
trained in:
• Communication and social skills
• Unarmed and (less often) armed
combat
• First aid provision
• Pre-planning and actioning
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Regardless of which
of the segments of
executive protection
you are involved in, they will
continue to evolve. Like all other
industries, executive protection
has to adjust to the times we
live in and the capabilities of our
adversaries. We can never accept
the status quo.
We have to continue the process
of identifying the newest and
latest threats and develop and
implement proactive measures to
minimize and mitigate the risk and
threats they pose to us.
MARTIN NIELSEN
SENIOR MANAGER,
EXECUTIVE PROTECTION &
SPECIAL PROJECTS
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This short guide on executive protection will provide you with
insight into the branches of EP, what they have in common
or don’t, and how to approach them as either an aspiring or
seasoned practitioner.

Executive protection imposes physical and psychological

barriers to safeguard the principal or client, as well as
their immediate environment — whether it be the family,
entourage, office, corporate building, or parking lot.

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CELEBRITY
PROTECTION
01
The most eye-catching of all EP branches,
celebrity protection concerns itself with
safeguarding VIPs.
As a matter of fact, superstars, famous musicians, and high-
level athletes were among the first to recognize the need for
protective services in public, primarily due to crowds and star-
crazed fans that often stalked them. Unfortunately, this situation
has not changed significantly over the last decades, with stalkers
considered a ubiquitous threat actor in the minds of protectors.

Remember the tall, pushy guy in a black suit with an earpiece?

That’s where people got their first, most pervasive image of the
industry — from celebrity protection. Unfortunately, this idea of
EP still haunts us, with many clients wrongly assuming that you
need a tuxedo and black glasses to become a worthy protector.
But the short answer is: No, you don’t!

For all its misrepresentations, the public perception of EP has

mainly become what it is today thanks to celebrity security
and its media presence. Conversely, corporate and diplomatic
security don’t get that level of hype (see #2 and #3).

As this branch makes up the building blocks of EP, people

operational in this line of work were usually former police officers
or private investigators. Similarly, most of them received training
and experience as nightclub bouncers. And others were good
at weightlifting and bodybuilding. So yes, being big and tough
used to be a prerequisite. Not so much anymore.
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Celebrity protection is a unique space within
the CPP market in that many of the spaces we
must operate in are counterintuitive. In the EP
space, for example, we aim to remove the principal from
the public as much as possible and hide them from what
we may deem high-risk areas.

But if you remove a celebrity from their fans, they cease

to be famous — they need crowd interactions for their
brand. Managing principals in this space is additionally
difficult as celebrity protection agents often have to
manage the security program alone, which can be highly
taxing given the lifestyle of the principal, from leisure
activities to global tours.

This can leave little time for advances and means agents
have to rely heavily on external security vendors at events,
hotels, venues, etc. This type of role requires extreme
patience, and agents must also balance professional
boundaries along the way.
JOSH REEVE,
CHIEF SECURITY OFFICER

And that’s not to downplay the importance of this EP segment.

In fact, since it first jumped on the executive protection stage,
celebrity protection has evolved into a lucrative, sophisticated,
multi-faceted sector.

Nowadays, celebrity protection specialists usually go through

demanding training to be assigned to safeguard VIPs. Simon
Newton is an excellent example of a celebrity protector, guarding
people like Michael Jackson, Bella Hadid, and Kendall Jenner.
However, today he is primarily an actor and a men’s health and
fitness ambassador — a natural path for many in the industry.

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DIPLOMATIC
PROTECTION
The term ‘executive protection’
has mostly to do with protecting
diplomats. Or, that’s what it originally
meant. Back in the 1970s, the US
Secret Service established a division
by the name of Executive Protection
Service.
Its aim? To safeguard embassies
abroad and foreign dignitaries on
American soil.
Around that time, it was almost
impossible to hire private-sector
security specialists to protect anyone
outside of diplomatic or government
circles. Thus, it’s true to say that this
EP branch was the tipping point from
government-held protective services
to private sector protection as we
know it today.
Usually, security professionals in this
field are in charge of protecting public
officials and foreign dignitaries. But
unlike other EP branches, this one
probably entails the most onerous
entry requirements, including:
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02
• University degree in a related field,
• Enhanced background and security
checks, and
• Constant travel domestically and
abroad.
In some countries, diplomatic protection
is handled by law enforcement
agencies. In others, private-sector
companies and practitioners are in
charge of providing protective services
for this tier of society.
The rule of law
sometimes requires
individuals receive
protection, whether
they wish it or not. Providing
security for officials and mandated
individuals is a specialty area for
many government and policing
officers.
CHARLES RANDOLPH,
PRESIDENT IPSB
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Interestingly, some sources claim that
around 90% of diplomatic protection
personnel worldwide happen to be
private contractors. Additionally, it’s vital
to note that diplomatic security agents
are usually tasked with safeguarding the
inner perimeter, while the local police
or military are in charge of the outer
perimeter during an assignment.

Note: Diplomatic security specialists

usually have the right to carry firearms
and are predominantly trained in
combative skills.

Unlike other segments of EP, diplomatic

protection mandates much more
resources, planning, and equipment. For
instance, high government officials may
need to be assigned a security detail for
traveling to Africa or Indonesia, where
an elevated level of threat exists. Hence,
it is necessary to employ vast resources
to ensure the safety of the officeholders
and their families, as they sometimes
travel together.

However, diplomatic protection is

not solely provided outside the home
country. A good example of this is the
White House, with all its safety standards.
However, not even this establishment
is 100% secure from encroachment, as
bad actors always find new ways.

Finally, protective agents in this field

face the gravest of threats, such as
terror organizations and organized
crime groups. As opposed to stalkers
who target celebrities, those assigned
to a diplomatic security detail must
be prepared for well-organized and
planned attacks on the principal.

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CORPORATE
PROTECTION
After the advent of diplomatic protection, word erupted
among business executives about the potential to obtain
high-level protective services privately.
They mostly feared what had hap-
pened to several corporate executives
kidnapped in the 1970s, including:
Baron Édouard-Jean Empain,
French-Belgian industrialist and
CEO of the Schneider group, Jack
Teich, president of Acme Architec-
tural Products, and others.
These were only some of 370 kid-
nappings of high-level executives
that happened worldwide in the said
period. The kidnap crisis helped push
corporate protection to become a
catchphrase in the modern environ-
ment that it is today.
People who benefit from it in their
everyday life often include those
working in the following sectors:
• Pharmaceutical
• Telecommunication
• Computer and information tech-
nology
• Construction
• Transport
• Entertainment
• Energy
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Executive protection
is very prominent in
the corporate realm.
However, it is not limited to just
the Chief Security Officer (CSO)
and their team. Corporate
executive protection starts on
the frontline.
The moment a principal
enters or exits a corporate
headquarters, private security
officers act as sentinels for any
imminent threats facing the
C-Suite and the organization’s
most important assets: their
employees.
The private security team
is just as imperative to the
principal as the CSO and their
team because they act as a
force multiplier to the overall
protective framework.
MATTHEW PORCELLI,
SECURITY MANAGER
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The most common threats that protective agents in this field face
relate to their client’s business continuity and competitors. In fact,
opponents typically want to get their hands on confidential data
to disrupt the operations of the enterprise.

To combat this, the security staff employs methods of access

control and office security. These terms relate to how placing
physical barriers, mounting CCTV cameras, and using identifica-
tion equipment promote the safety of the company environment.

In corporate executive protection (EP), it takes a

collaboration of different business units to ensure your
job is successful. Unlike some executive protection
details where there may be a single point of contact,
corporate EP consists of multiple individuals you must
work together with to see the mission accomplished.

Your skills in security, both hard and soft, may be like

other details, but corporate EP necessitates a more
in-depth understanding of the company you work for,
business acumen, and refinement. Understanding the
business and its nuances and adapting to the corporate
environment are critical components of success in
corporate EP.
GARRETT LUDKE,
GLOBAL SECURITY LEADER,
EXECUTIVE PROTECTION

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It’s a misconception that corporate protection deals ex-
clusively with safeguarding the corporate executive. As a
matter of fact, the security team considers the buildings,
confidential information, parking lots, cars, and immediate
surroundings to help address security concerns.

Corporate Protection of C-Suite executives is

a multivariant program of success and failures.
Therefore, corporate protection officers their
physical assets and family must rely on the willingness and
cooperation of the principal being protected.

As many corporate boards demand such protection — all

in an effort to preserve the institutional knowledge that
C-Suite leadership brings in the company’s financial success
— those C-Suite executives sometimes have private lives
and external financial interests that are intentionally
kept secret from these corporate boards. Therein lies the
potential failures that must be accounted for in establishing
the protective bubble around the principal.

In order to mitigate potential breaches of the protective

bubble, a responsible and seasoned protection team
must establish an exposure baseline of any/all unknown
variables to include extramarital affairs, unaccounted for
compromised financial liabilities, as well as adverse familial
issues the corporate board is not aware of.

The C-Suite executive is hesitant to share with corporate

protection officers information on the points mentioned
above out of brand protection, embarrassment, and
protection of the immediate family.

TIMOTHY GILL,
SENIOR NATIONAL
SECURITY ADVISOR

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In the end, we have mostly to thank corpo-
rate protection that the EP industry is held
in such high regard in the business commu-
nity worldwide. As a matter of fact, we can
credit this industry branch for large swaths
of EP companies’ yearly turnover and the
jobs of thousands of security professionals.

I have been lucky enough

to work both in diplomatic
and corporate protection.
Corporate protection requires the
skills of a diplomatic protection agent
and the individual drive of a corporate
leader. You have a large group of
executives all relying on you for their
security, the security of their families,
and property. There is no night shift
team taking over or uniformed police
to help.

Corporate protection comes with

its challenges, but if you have the
opportunity to get into corporate EP
work, it gives you the channel and
responsibility to test your knowledge
and rapidly grow your experience.

Like all EP areas of business, corporate

protection continues to develop and
change. There are some great digital
developments using technology for
planning and intelligence gathering
that are making it easier for solo
operators in this field.

MARK RICHARDS,
MANAGER EXECUTIVE
PROTECTION & EVENT SECURITY,
WESTPAC NEW ZEALAND

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PERSONAL
SECURITY DETAIL
04
Connoisseurs usually refer to it as an abbreviation: PSD.

It is a segment of executive protection that probably features

the best-trained operatives in the industry. From military and
police background to risk and security mitigation experience,
a typical PSD comprises a versatile group of individuals. Some
would even say that people working in a PSD witness daily
that which others in the security industry cannot even fathom.

In fact, the threat landscape that personal security details face

sometimes looks like they came out of a movie, with firearms,
well-armed adversaries, and inhospitable climates.

In addition, professional EP and PSDs today

maintain additional certifications to provide
safety for vital assets and personnel, including:

• Advanced Medical Training

• Technical Security and Countermeasures
• Weapons Training and Certifications
• Situational Awareness Training
• Counter-Surveillance
• Protective Intelligence and Threat Assessment Training
• Advance Training and Logistics
• Aircraft Safety and Security
• Personal Physical Fitness
• Soft Skills in Communications and Liaison
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The EP career field quickly becomes
regulated and professionalized across
corporate and private sectors. Private
clientele and Fortune 500 companies
now seek employees with skill sets that
separate them from the bodyguard
stereotype. While education and
training are still expected, experience
in logistics planning and protective
advance work has become the standard
for modern EP teams around the globe.

KEVIN DYE,
SENIOR MANAGER,
EXECUTIVE PROTECTION,
PROCTER & GAMBLE

The PSD typically executes government

contracts, protects far-away gas pipes, and
travels to complex environments, including
Iraq and countries with similar security
concerns. As is often the case, foreign
or domestic governments hire them to
protect their vital assets, such as oil drills
and other valuable investments.

Expectedly, these security professionals

often encounter the most dangerous
situations, including terrorist attacks. But
the PSD’s adaptability is crucial in those
moments.
For this reason, they usually assign operatives
to handle different tasks in protective jobs.
Some include security driving, where the
majority of duties pertain to:
• Mastering vehicle security and basic
mechanics,
• Being competent in matters of evasive
driving, and
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• Familiarizing oneself with the fastest and safest routes.

All these come in handy while facing various threat environments,

especially in the less-regulated corners of the world. Further,
members of a personal security detail usually patrol large swaths
of land, monitoring machines, equipment, property, and people.

In addition, some PSDs may need to employ other methods to

provide safety for vital assets, including:

• High, thick walls

• Watchdogs
• Alarm systems

Protective Security Detail (PSD) are operations

executed in high-threat conflict areas. The term
high threat is subjective, of course. At one
point, Haiti and Bosnia were considered high threat, if that
tells you anything…

From a US perspective, PSD has changed over the years

from limited guidance based on state-side operations and
overseas operations in semi-permissive environments — to
tactics, techniques, and procedures influenced by terrorists
and insurgents in non-permissive environments.

Personnel requirements shifted from five years of special

operations experience and the same amount of experience
in executive protection to that of almost Xbox levels and
then settled somewhere in between back again. Because
of the high threat environment at the height of the wars,
the skills required for PSD professionals increased. With
transition of power and a reduced threat environment, the
training and experience requirements ebbed again.

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The exit of the US and other countries
from Afghanistan made the US and
other western countries-supported
PSD drop significantly. Even with no
USG-supported PSD, there is still
work in other areas, though not as
lucrative as US customer roles. Skill
requirements are the same (and should
be foundational for EP).

Tactics may vary, and equipment may

not be top of the linework but is still
out there. It’s just harder to find and
harder to make a good living at. There
are a few select operations that want
the experience and skills, but they are
few and far between.

The Ukraine conflict will eventually

require more PSD teams — embassy
teams and others — but we will not
likely see major contracts emerge
from them as we did toward the end
of 2010. Interestingly, the talent pool
and lessons learned are aging. So,
we will likely have to learn the same
lessons all over again. While lucrative,
it could be painful.

CHRIS STORY,
DIRECTOR OF RISK
INTELLIGENCE &
SECURITY CONSULTING

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PROTECTION OF
HNW
Wealthy individuals and families retain
the assistance of executive protection
companies all the time. Whether
while traveling on extended vacations
to exotic places or visiting volatile
locations in Africa or South America
to conduct business.
Sometimes, however, HNW individuals
and families will blend business and
leisure on the same trip abroad. This
means that the protective agents
need to handle travel arrangements
and driving in the destination country.
In the 21st century, the
personal protection for
UHWI is a high-end
security service that goes above
and beyond the health and safety of
the principal. The high-end service
requires a holistic approach and
understanding of the principal’s
needs and desires.
The effective executive protection
program for UHNWI relies on an
optimal balance between human
resources, procedures, and physical
security. The program should
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include robust reputational, social
media, traveling, and residential
management.
The most crucial factor in the high-
end personal protection services
is people. The expectations from
the principal and family offices
are getting higher. Therefore, the
operators are expected to have
broader skills than physical abilities
and specific backgrounds.
RADOSLAV SAVKOV,
PERSONAL PROTECTION
SPECIALIST
During security assignments with
high-net-worths, the security staff may
expect the most distraction from their
daily tasks. The distractions come in
the form of errands and many “small”
things that take plenty of time to
complete. Some of the more mundane
tasks include:
• Bringing the morning newspaper to
the protectee’s hotel room,
• Carrying the luggage to the
limousine, or
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• Passing along instructions to the
service personnel.

In addition, the high-net-worths

sometimes expect the protectors to
escort them to a nightclub and spend
the whole time with them. The trouble
arises when the HNW individual goes to
sleep in the early morning, leaving the
protective agents having to complete
their daily tasks while getting little or
no sleep.

Unlike diplomatic protection (#2), where

the principal’s schedule is set mainly
in advance, here, changes can and do
happen regularly.

Note: If they impress the protectees, the

security staff stays with the same client
for years, making it one of the most
lucrative and job-securest EP segments,
albeit tremendously demanding.

As protectees expect 24-hour coverage

of their movements to various locations
— often considerably apart — it is always
advisable to engage multiple protective
agents on the spot.

Most importantly, the security staff

needs to be well-versed in the art of
communication while conversing with
the most valuable protectees: the
principal’s children.

Frequently, the client will leave their

protective agents alone with the youths,
whether in a family residence or a hotel
lounge. In such situations, the security
team members must decide how to do
their job while keeping an eye on the
kids, especially if a nanny is not on site.
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According to Forbes,
financial professionals
break down wealth in the
following format, and the
same approach should be taken from
a “protection” point of view when
placing the client in a bracket. This
may often be outlined by their private
office or perhaps an agency that
sources private household staff. This
is important as the level of protection
and expectations will differ.

• High-net-worth individuals (HNWIs):

People or households who own
liquid assets valued between USD1
million and USD5 million.
• Very-high-net-worth individuals
(VHNWIs): People or households
who hold liquid assets valued
between USD5 million and USD30
million.
• Ultra-high-net-worth individuals
(UHNWIs): People or households
who own more than USD30 million
in liquid assets.

Of course, and most importantly,

protection is based on a TVRA (Threat
and Vulnerability Risk Assessment)
of the client, their family, and assets.
You could be a HNWI and be more
vulnerable than a UHNWI, perhaps
due to your public profile. Remember,
plenty of exceptionally wealthy
people are not in the public spotlight.

Protection of wealthy people,

specifically HNWIs and UHNWIs,
is complex, demands are high, and
expectations are even higher. Soft
skills are an absolute necessity and a
commitment to ongoing development
(CPD). Hard skills are also in high
demand, but so are advanced
computer skills, technical skills,
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project management experience, and maybe fluency in
multiple languages.

You might also have a client who is a notable and hugely

successful musician, actor, or athlete. These persons would
also fall under one of the above brackets, but the approach
to protecting these persons would differ from the protection
of a C-Suite executive or chairperson. This may include a
more covert approach to protection, a different approach
to dress code and attire, and the protector’s background
and experience. These are a few examples only. Of course,
a TVRA will determine this in many cases.

In recent years, and again reverting to expectations, a protector

is often expected to aid in additional responsibilities. The
mentality of “that is not my job” will not get you far. If the
environment permits (safe to do so without subjecting the
client to risk), carrying a bag, an umbrella, or carrying out
errands and other responsibilities to support the client and
the person within the entourage is not out of the question
anymore.

You may find that if a client falls within the VHNWI or UHNWI
bracket, they may and will likely have an extensively larger
entourage, meaning that these additional responsibilities
are delegated to specific persons, such as running errands
or carrying bags, leaving you as the protector to focus on
protection solely. Again, this also comes down to working
with and educating a client and or entourage regarding
protection/security. Your TVRA will support this process.
ADAM GREEN,
LEAD SECURITY
OPERATIONS MANAGER

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