After UnitedHealthcare Shooting, Assessing The Risks To CEOs

When the CEO of United Health Group’s insurance arm was shot dead on a Manhattan street Wednesday morning, the victim of what police believe to be a targeted assassination, it set off alarm bells throughout the CEO community nationwide—if they hadn’t been going off already.

Brian Thompson, 50, was shot in the chest and leg outside of the Hilton Hotel on 6th Avenue ahead of a scheduled appearance and UHC’s annual investor conference and died soon after. According to the police, the shooter fled the scene on a bicycle. A manhunt is underway throughout the New York Metropolitan area.

And while the motive for the killing remains uncertain, police said they believe Thompson was deliberately targeted. Appearing at a press conference on Wednesday, New York’s Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the murder “does not appear to be a random act of violence.” Thompson’s wife, Paulette, told NBC News that her husband had been the target of threats in the past. 

“Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details,” she said. “I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.”

The murder is likely to raise even more concern about the safety and security of top executives, already a growing topic amid the hothouse political climate in the country. The recent assassination attempt on President-elect Donald Trump, as well as the numerous death threats against Tesla CEO Elon Musk already had some boards and executives contemplating increased security for their executives.

As Matthew Scott recently reported for our sister publication Corporate Board Member, Tesla shareholders had already questioned whether or not Musk and other high-level executives at the carmaker were receiving adequate protection. 

Given the sheer number of workplace shootings in the U.S. many CEOs were already sensitive to the risks, and it is hardly unusual for a Fortune 100 CEO to travel with a bodyguard. In 2022—the most recent available data—there were 524 workplace homicides in the U.S., up 8.9 percent from the prior year. Public-facing occupations such as sales and taxi drivers were by far the most targeted, with management a distant third.

But detailed statistics about violence specifically targeting CEOs and senior executives are hard to come by. Last year, sister publication StrategicCFO360 reported that C-Suite executives were being actively targeted in a widespread “swatting” campaign. A 2021 survey by Austin, Texas-based executive protection firm Ontic found 58 percent of employees said their CEO had received a physical threat after taking a position on a political issue even as 40 percent said their CEO had been threatened for not taking a position on a political issue. Some 56 percent also reported being physically threatened for encouraging Covid vaccinations and mask use.

So how should CEOs size up the risk? In the Corporate Board Member article, Scott listed three key questions worth considering when it comes to the protection of CEOs, directors and other key executives:

Are personal security guards needed? 

For controversial and outspoken CEOs like Musk, personal security is a major concern. Around-the-clock security is a judgement call. However, any CEO may require a personal security detail when traveling abroad or when making public appearances, depending on the nature of the work they are involved in or the meetings they are attending.

What security measures are in place for protests and demonstrations? 

Companies may need to reevaluate what their vulnerability to onsite protests are—whether the actions come from outside groups or employees. While protests in recent years have rarely been violent, is there a plan in place should violence over labor negotiations or the company taking a position on a very controversial issue occur? This may now be a major safety and security issue for many organizations.

Is the company in compliance with industry-mandated employee-safety regulations? 

A review of safety and security measures provides an opportunity to determine if safety procedures are working or if upgrades are needed. Compliance with occupational health and safety legal requirements can improve employee productivity and avoid fines and employee lawsuits.

“For most companies, a review of security measures and the budget allocated for those efforts is at least worth a review,” Scott wrote. “News reports say Tesla spent approximately $2.4 million on security services for Musk in 2023. Not every company will need to spend on that level to safeguard their CEO, but boards should consider whether it is time for CEO safety and security measures to receive an upgrade.”