Police say the killing was a targeted attack rather than a random act of violence. New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called the shooting “Planned, pre-planned, targeted attack“The shooter was caught on camera, and was last seen in Central Park. They have not been caught. The motive for the killing is unknown, but Thompson’s wife told NBC News that “there were some people who were threatening him.”
Thompson was an executive vice president at UnitedHealth Group and CEO of its UnitedHealthcare division, a role he was named to in 2021, while Andrew Vitti was CEO. United Health Group. Thompson’s killing comes as companies worry about the safety of their top executives, and it may confirm corporate America’s worst fears. More seriously, the targeting of a high-profile executive raises new questions about whether personal security, travel on corporate planes, and trained defensive drivers should extend to roles beyond the CEO.
“We don’t know the motivation. Certainly, if it’s a personal motivation, that changes the landscape a little bit,” explains Glen Kucera, CEO of MSA Security, a consequential threat protection firm. destiny “If it was motivated by the business they’re in, the health care business, or whatever it might be related to, it’s definitely a wake-up call for a lot of CEOs and executives traveling around the country and the world. call.”
Large companies seem to be increasingly aware of security risks for their top executives.
In review of CEO benefits Between 2020 and 2023, consulting firm ISS-Corporate found that the domestic security ratio for CEOs of S&P 500 companies increased from 12.6% in 2020 to 15.7% in 2023. And the prevalence of personal and household security ratios among S&P companies remains at 500. A steady increase since 2018, Data from Esgauge shows In 2018, only 13.2% of CEOs received these benefits, compared to 17.9% in 2024.
However, there is little tendency to promote safety among healthcare companies. Among Russell 3000 health care companies, private insurance costs actually trend downward, from 0.8% in 2018, to 0.5% in 2024, Esage data shows. expresses. And the average value of security for CEOs in general in 2023 was about $50,000. According to WTWAn insurance broker and risk management company.
However, some of the world’s most famous executives are spending millions every year on security services for their companies. The richest man in the world, Elon Musk, Now travels with 20 security guards, of The New York Times Reported. Personal security for Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai is the cost About $6.8 million per year, according to SEC filings. And Meta platform Security spending for Mark Zuckerberg has been increased from $10 million to $14 million per year in February 2023. According to public documents.
“We believe that Mr. Zuckerberg’s role puts him in a unique position: He is synonymous with meta, and as a result, negative sentiment about our company is directly tied to Mr. Zuckerberg, and often, transferred to Mr. Zuckerberg. done,” the company wrote last. the year In disclosure.
“When you’re talking about somebody who’s worth millions of dollars or billions of dollars, and they’re in charge of an entire company, there’s a real possibility of kidnapping, there’s a real possibility of extortion, there’s a real possibility of attempts. their lives,” Bill Herzog, CEO of Arizona-based Lionheart Security Services, Told before destiny About executive security.
However, most of the security focus is at the CEO and chairman level, not among other named executives. At UnitedHealth Group, the company requires CEO Andrew Witty to fly on the corporate jet for all business travel, and encourages him to fly on the jet for personal and family travel. Based on the company’s most recent disclosures, Vitti no longer uses the jet for personal travel in 2023. But the company did not disclose other personal security benefits for executives, including Thompson.
Primary health Spent $445,732 on corporate jet travel, home security, and oversight and liability for CEO Jason Holler. As of 2024, the company did not disclose similar benefits for other top executives. Proxy Statement.
Other companies have taken a harder line. Meta in January and February 2021 approved Meta told investors that given the level of scrutiny on the company and the “charged environment following the 2020 US election and the attack on the US Capitol, new personal security services for its entire board.” It also disclosed that it Provides personal protection for other workers in response to specific threats.
“Nobody ever goes to work expecting this to happen to them, right? So, you know, it’s very important to be informed. Be aware of your surroundings. Good safety protocol in case it happens. Hold on,” Kucera says. “You have to be prepared.”
