Category - Blog

Christian West reflects on some of the things he learned as a bouncer that have come in handy working in executive protection, drawing on his own experience and that of some colleagues who also have the honor of writing “bouncer” on their resumés.

We’ve been watching the dumb things people do to pull down the EP industry rather than move it forward for way too long. And yes, this list is based on looking at ourselves over the years as well as at others. So, we started thinking about writing this blog and collecting ideas. It wasn’t easy, but we finally narrowed the list down to the 10 dumbest things we wish people would stop doing in the EP industry.

In this blog, Christian West underscores the importance of staying up to date with what is happening in the executive protection industry. Proactive networking is key to breaking down the barriers that lead to siloed thinking.

In this blog, guest blogger Mike Ellenbogen of Evolv Technology and Christian West zoom in on the executive protection industry’s perspective on security screening for events. The goal is effective security for the principal and others – without compromising the guest experience.

In this blog, Sean Schuhriemen and Christian West bring together two practical perspectives on protective intelligence. One is shaped by years of governmental service in operational intelligence, the other by decades of protecting corporate officers and high net worth principals. Together, they present a shared view on the importance of protective intelligence in executive protection – and call for even better integration between their two practices so we can learn from each other and improve outcomes.

Operational readiness is the most fundamental prerequisite for any protective effort and has consequences for practically everything we do as an executive protection company.

In this blog, we’d like to discuss how our understanding of this all-important concept is evolving towards operational optimization – and encourage everyone in the executive protection industry – colleagues, competitors, and customers – to join us in this continuing discussion.

As corporations continue to expand internationally, they are sending more staff to more places than ever before – including destinations associated with elevated travel risk. And as we can tell from the kinds of inquiries we increasingly receive, those responsible for handling corporate travel and security issues often find it difficult to know when what kind of travel risk mitigation is appropriate for where, for whom, and for when.

In this blog, we take a close look at the five questions we get from clients when they consider using secure travel services for employees besides the C-suite.

As executive protection professionals, it is our mission to protect our clients from all manner of threats. Of course, this concerns not least our principals’ physical safety and reputations. In an increasingly connected world, however, we must also help protect their data and their privacy.

Now that the Internet of Things (IoT) is becoming increasingly integrated all around us, it’s time to consider the consequences of the rapid proliferation of IoT devices in hotels. For executive protection professionals, the increased use of the IoT in hospitality settings will impact how we do advances and perform details. But everyone interested in secure travel would do well to consider the potential risks from these devices and how best to protect themselves and their data.

In this blog, we discuss some of the ways these devices are used to access personal information and hack hotel networks and consider some best practices to ensure our principals – and ourselves and others – are properly protected.

When your company motto is forward thinking, it’s natural to look ahead to see what the new year is likely to bring.

In this blog, Christian West, Brian Jantzen and Ray O’Hara call out the seven trends they believe will mean most for the executive protection industry in 2019.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year—gadget time!

Whether you’re looking to spoil your favorite EP pro with some cool gear, or you’re an EP agent on the lookout for some tech that’ll make your life easier in the field and off-the-clock—we’ve got you covered. Here are our ten recommendations for 2018.

In light of the Monday morning quarterbacks’ critique of Pascal Duvier’s performance when his client, Kim Kardashian, was robbed in Paris in 2016 – and her insurance company’s recent decision to sue Pascal for negligence – Christian West and guest blogger Jared Van Driessche take a hard look at the EP industry’s need for improved standardization.

In this blog, Tommy Christensen, director of AS Solution’s Global Special Services department, takes a helicopter view of why more corporations and high net worth individuals are opting for a wider variety of travel security services than ever before. Increased uncertainty around the world certainly plays a role, but so do the productivity benefits of seamless travel support and the growing range of secure travel services.

In this blog, Max Montoya tells Carlos Muñoz about his transition from the insurance industry to a career in executive protection. Although this is not the most typical career path for people in our industry, Max’s story makes complete sense: If you’ve got the right mixture of hard and soft skills – and the right attitude – where you’ve been is not nearly as important as where you want to go.

In this blog, AS Solution’s Christian West and Scott Novins explore an important security topic: the intersection of event security and executive protection. Avoiding the most common pitfalls to achieve smooth coordination is important and feasible – as long as both teams take on the sometimes-challenging task of careful cooperation before, during, and after the event.

AS Solution’s deputy director of intelligence operations, Sean Paul Schuriemen, explains how corporations can leverage the ROI of their intelligence analysis programs beyond the security realm and across the organization. Spoiler alert: It’s all about creativity, business acumen, and good management.