The targeted killing in Midtown Manhattan of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson has sparked worry in C-suites around the globe as companies both large and small are reevaluating security for their top executives, experts said.
Surveillance video released by the New York Police Department, showed Thompson walking alone on a sidewalk as his masked killer brazenly ambushed him early Wednesday , shooting him multiple times in front of a witness. Retired FBI special agent Richard Frankel, founder of RMF Crisis Management, said he received several calls from companies within hours of the shooting looking to reevaluate executive security.
Dave Komendat, president of DSKomendat Risk Management in Seattle, told ABC News on Thursday that the fatal shooting prompted security officers at dozens of Fortune companies to hold a video call to discuss boosted protection for executives. Komendat said the security community is interested in the facts behind this case and is keenly monitoring the progress of the NYPD investigation. Mihalek said there have been other examples over the years of executives paying the price for not having security details.
In , Exxon Co. Husband and wife Arthur and Irene Seale were arrested and convicted in the death and sent to prison. Arthur Seale was a former police officer and Exxon security consultant who was fired in , officials said at the time. No arrests have been made in the case. Two of the four people arrested and awaiting trial in the case were former employees of Atre, authorities said.
Frankel said he believes threats against CEOs and top executives at companies could escalate in the wake of the Thompson killing. Frankel said that when most CEOs travel overseas their companies will obtain kidnap and ransom insurance and hire security details, including a driver. He said some companies have foregone security for executives because of the high costs, which can run from several thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Part of dealing with this is letting the companies know that this is going to be a real line item in the companies.
